


A Mage's Heart

by Isika



Category: Zootopia (2016)
Genre: Adventure, Alternate Universe, Corruption, Dark Magic, Dragons, Fantasy, Friendship, Gen, Good vs Evil, Healers, Knights - Freeform, Mages, Magic, Original Universe, Queens, Rough Judy, Sword Fighting, War, battles, world building
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-12
Updated: 2019-09-06
Packaged: 2019-10-22 01:43:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 52,541
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17653640
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Isika/pseuds/Isika
Summary: Living his days as a thief Nick Wilde could care less about the state of his country. Circumstances change drastically when Blessed Knight Captain Judy Hopps captures Nick after a failed heist and drags him back to stand before the Queen. One thing after another and soon Nick is forced to face the reality that he is so much more than just a simple thieving fox. Suddenly the fate of his country lies in his paws and he is tasked to go on an adventure that could either start or end a war.





	1. Maps and Characters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Please enjoy these maps and a brief list of characters! With the maps I hope you all find it easier to picture the layouts of the story. 
> 
> Credit for maps goes to: Sketchy! https://sketchymaloo.tumblr.com/ She did an amazing job! I appreciate her help so much for doing these for me!

The City of Animalia 

!!!————> [The City of Animalia ~Link~](https://sketchymaloo.tumblr.com/post/186223828399/the-city-of-animalia-map-drawn-for-a-zootopia) <————!!!

 World Map 

!!!————> [World Map ~Link~](https://sketchymaloo.tumblr.com/post/186225632009/world-map-map-drawn-for-a-zootopia-fanfic-a) <————!!!

 

The Palace Grounds 

!!!————> [The Palace Grounds ~Link~](https://sketchymaloo.tumblr.com/post/186225698809/the-palace-grounds-map-the-city-of-animalia-map) <————!!!

 

List of Blessed Knights

Captain Judy Hopps: short sword

Lieutenant Bogo: great axe

Gazelle: female gazelle, wind mage

Belathur: male caribou, halberd 

Phyrhus: female elephant, giant hammer

Iris: female tiger, bastard sword

Basha: female cloud leopard, archer 

Bjorn: male grizzly bear, morning star 

Cyprus: male lion, sword and shield 

Ramsey Stone: male mountain ram, gauntlets

Anahita: female hippo, trident 

Emery: male otter, rapier

Arun: male Afric spotted dog, fire mage 

Saffrin: female cheetah, dual daggers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all like them!


	2. A thief in the shadows

A Mage's Heart

Chapter one: A Thief in the Shadows 

 

Thunder clashed over the city of Animalia, capital of the country of Furosie. Built up against the sea you could see the lighting burst through the sky and light up the angry waves that tossed the ships about in the harbor. Rain poured down onto the city, rushing down the walls of houses like an overflowing fountain.

Not the ideal night to be a thief in the shadows, but a pouch full of coins can move any creature. The flashes of lightning sent shadows moving them over the stony walls of houses as though they were alive. The rain cascaded over clay roofing tiles and made the dirt road turn to slop. Despite the roaring of thunder, the city below the castle was a quiet one. All mammal citizens were asleep and tucked away in their beds, oblivious to the world outside their windows, unaware that one of those lightning-cast shadows was alive, clawing over their very home in search of darkness.

Nick leaped from shadowed alley to darkened door, his hood pulled tight over his head and his paws splashed through the muddied ground of the outer circle of Animalia. The outermost circle of the city was home to the middle class, pubs, taverns, stables; and unlike the inner circles the roads were were earth, not stone. So down on all fours in the mud wasn’t exactly his favorite way to flee the palace guards, but it was the quickest. Four paws though made it easier to weave his way in and out of streets and over fences, up the sides of houses and over rooftops. Lucky for him, being a fox, he had excellent night vision as well, even in the rain. There wasn’t an ounce of worry in him that he couldn’t get himself out of this mess. “Mess”, might be an understatement, but he was an optimistic creature.

Being a thief, by no choice really of his own, he had a very limited skill set. He was very experienced in the art of thieving; lots of experience, combined with pride in his many conquests, had set him up for arrogance. So, when paid in advance for a very advanced job, he hadn’t hesitated. The castle had been simple, and the mage tower? Ha! Even more so! Fleeing from the Queen’s royal guard? Not planned, but not impossible.

Nick dropped from a roof that belong to a stable and swung himself through the open window and into the hayloft.

“I wish they'd just give up already.” Nick, crouched in the hay hidden from sight and took a long pause to consider his options. He had to get to the docks on the east side of Animalia; it was the meeting place that had been decided upon, but the guards had probably closed the gates by now. Once the bell had been tolled to alert an intruder, the guards’ presence had gone up significantly. If the gate had closed, sure he knew ways out, but those would require the risk of being seen out in the open.

Pushing his hood back Nick shook the water from his face and ran his fingers through his red neck fur. The way water ran through his fur always made him feel itchy. He was covered in mud from the tip of his nose, over his rain soaked tunic and breeches, down to his paws. He looked a mess.

“What I won’t give for a real hot soak when this is over.” Grabbing his tail he wrung the water out of it. Once he wrung the water out of his cloak he pulled the hood of it back over his head. Around his neck there was a small purple stone hanging from a thin silver chain, it was his only truly important possession. Nick grabbed it and tucked it back into his shirt for safekeeping before venturing back out into the city shadows. The rain had yet to give at all and the lighting splintered all over the black sky like a web. Storm clouds rushed about, giving no light to the moon.

Moving against the walls, Nick made his way in the direction of the east sea gate, only to have his stomach knot up at the sight of fire light from a hanging lantern. The metal sound of heavy guards armor came from around a corner, too many to move past without notice.

He cursed under his breath. Squeezing through the alley he made it to the next street over, only here too he saw guards.

“Damnit!” He felt he was starting to get cornered. “All this...over a…” Nick touched the stone in his tied pouch. Instinct creeped over on him, the hair on his neck standing up. Maybe, just maybe, this had been a bad idea.

The light from lanterns in the distance danced in his eyes and he focused on the sound of metal armor creaking with each step they took closer in his direction. The overwhelming feeling of being caught was strong. He crouched, dead still, behind a water barrel, listening. Pulling his hood back, Nick’s ears flicked, rotated, twitched, and buzzed with noise. He focused on the important sounds. Armor, shouting orders, sloshing of mud, how many, how far away, he soaked it all in.

“Aha!” An arrogant grin planted itself on his face. He pulled his hood back over his face, tying the strings tighter and moved.

Scurrying up a drainpipe Nick pulled himself up onto a roof. Here he could confirm what he heard. The outer circle of the city was made up of four streets and up here he was able to see the glow those lanterns put off. As he thought, they were close, too close now for the gate to be an option. Narrowing his eyes he gazed down below. A party of five was on the street, swords drawn. They were searching for him alright, knocking over barrels and thrusting their swords into the backs of wagons.

“No one ever thinks to look up.” This gave him an idea. If he couldn’t go through the gate he would just have to go over it. He started, leaping from roof to roof, and began to close the distance between him and escape.

It was working too, despite the heavy presence of guards no one seemed to notice him. The sea gate was always the least guarded exit. Being closed, there was only a handful of guards that he could see. A large tree stood next to the gate, it had grown as tall at the wall itself. If he timed it right with the thunder he should he able to leap into the branches without being heard. Excitement bubbled up inside, he was so close to getting away with it. Their meeting place was on a ship called “The Dread Wolf”. He couldn’t see the ships through the darkness, but no lack of confidence told him that he would be getting on that ship.

Nick skidded to a halt just a few houses down from the gate. He crouched to watch in wait for the right moment to make a run for it. He intensely focused on the sky for lightning, a big enough clash for the thunder to shake the very bones in his body. He stood, grinning, this had been too easy. Lighting filled the sky so brightly it looked white and….

“HALT! In the name of the Queen!”

Nick went rigid and looked over his shoulder to watch the lighting outline the figure standing behind him. Thunder roared in his ears making his muscles strain to be still as the rain poured down on him. The voice that had called out to him over the rainfall was demanding, but more importantly to him, it was female. It had made him stop, forcing him to be curious. He turned to face her fully, raising his face so he could see under the rim of his hood. Someone was on the rooftops with him; just a house behind the one he was standing one.

She was guard, no, not a guard, a knight. He could tell by the Queen’s cat crest carved into her breast plate. She was small, but her heavy armor suited her, pauldrons laid ominous on her shoulders. A laugh came out of him though when he took note of her species.

“A bunny knight, how adorable.”

She didn’t say anything, but drew her sword. She took up a stance he had never seen before and suddenly her body began to glow a silvery blue. Nick’s eyes widened in knowledge that this bunny was no ordinary knight.

“A Blessed Knight.” He turned to run, but it was too late. A bright blast of light came toward him and struck him across the back. The strike sent him flying off the roof and into the mud below. The air in his lungs was forced out of him, leaving him momentarily without breath. His vision went black, caused by the onslaught of searing pain he felt all over his body. Water and mud filled his nose as he gagged on breathes of air. He hacked and coughed, rolling over onto his back and blinking, trying it see past the dirt and rain.

“‘I’m surprised you're still conscious.” It was the bunny knight, Nick stared up at her, her glaring purple eyes stared right back at him. They reminded of him of the purple stone on his necklace.

“I’m...surprised they let a bunny be blessed.”

“Take him to the dungeon.” With that said Nick looked over to see a buffalo guard, followed by the hilt of a sword.

 

~~~

 

When Nick finally came to, it was by the splashing of icy water to his face.

“Ahhh!” It was freezing and a large bear stood before him holding a bucket. “Warm it up next time.” This earned him a punch across the face.

“Filthy fox.” The bear spat at him and walked away.

“Nice to meet you too.” Nick shook his head, doing his best to clear the water from his eyes and that itchy feeling running over his skin. Blinking he looked around to assess where he was. Captured, he had definitely been captured and was tied to a chair with arms and legs bound tight. He could tell by the cells that he was in a small dungeon, though it seemed he was the only prisoner. The next thing he noticed was that it was still storming outside, which meant he hadn’t been out long. He also took notice that besides his breeches he was stripped of all his clothes, even his necklace, and of course the stone he had stolen too was gone too.

The next thing he took notice of was that his body ached all over.  There was also a ringing in his ears, and no amount of ear flicking made it go away. He let out a loud exaggerated sigh and craned his head to look around more. Two guards stood by the entrance, there was a large stone fireplace on one side, cells along the opposite side. To his right was a large table with some chairs around it.  

“Well, this is kinky.” He wiggling his paws around but the rope was bound bruisingly tight. The blazing fireplace made the room warm, sweat started to pool on his forehead and wrist as he strained the ropes in an effort to free himself.

The creaking iron of a door was heard, then came footsteps, which were accompanied by the unforgettable sound of heavy armor. He paused his efforts and stared straight ahead of him and into the fireplace. He let out a heavy shaky breath remembering the reasons for his failure. The pain that throbbed over his back with every twist of his wrist wouldn’t let him forget her. He clearly recalled her piercing purple eyes.

“Captain.” He heard the bear address her, ears rotating in her direction.

“How is he?” Her voice was sharp and calm.

“Just woke him up.”

“Good.” The heavy footfalls came closer, and entering into this view was the bunny knight. In the light he could see her face fur was grey and she stood at about about chest height with him sitting. Her armor, though impressive, now looked to be large on her. Still, despite her height, those eyes could make any enemy shiver. Beside her stood a silver fox, dressed in colorful robes wrapped around her body, and a very sly look in her golden eyes, which stood out on the black fur of her face.

“So we meet again bunny knight.” Nick, going against his animal instinct to be cautious of her, gave her a cheeky smile.

“Don’t count yourself lucky fox. You’re alive because I need information. The item you stole may very well lead to your death sentence.” The words were direct, her eyes never left his, and she sounded less than concerned about the part mentioning his death,

“Well, that’s a little harsh for a rock.” He chuckled, but felt a lump form in his throat.

“Do you know exactly what it was that you stole?”

“Listen bunny knight, I don’t ask, I get paid and I steal. I’m a thief, throw me in jail, put me in the stocks. I don’t know anything about that rock. Ok? And by the way, do you mind giving me my necklace back? It’s important.” He gave her a pleading smile that she ignored with a roll of her eyes.

“I don’t trust you, fox...and a thief has no right to complain about missing property.” She looked to her left at the silver fox. “Arisa, make it so he can't lie. I have questions that I want straight answers to.”

“Hu? I’m not going to lie to you bunny!” The way that Arisa smiled made the fur stand up on his neck. Panic overtook him and he began to twist at the ropes again to no avail.   
“Certainly.” The mysterious silver fox slinked over to Nick, roughly grabbed him by the jaw and pried his mouth open. Nick thrashed his head, but her grip was strong. Taking a handful of blue dust from a pouch on her belt she blew it into his mouth . “Now,” she said, her voice a raspy, but sultry tone, “now you cannot tell lies.”

The blue dust caused Nick to cough, gagging as he tried to breath. It dried out his mouth, along with the back of his throat. His tongue felt tingly and his head began to feel dizzy. His vision blurred and for a moment he forgot where he was. It was like being in a fog of sleep, but yet he couldn't close his eyes.

“Let’s get started.”  The bunny knight said, getting directly down to business. “You will tell me what you are, what you know, and where you're from. No more lies Nick.”

“Hu? H-how do you know my name?” The bunny reached forward and gripped the arms of Nick's chair, staring into his eyes.

“First, I want you to tell me why you were here tonight.”

“W-where?” His head still felt hazy from the dust. Closing his eyes he tried to shake off the feeling.

“In the Mage Tower!” She screamed, the burst of anger so violent she kicked his chair over, knocking Nick back. His head slammed against the cold cobble floor with so much force he saw stars. Nick's stomach lurched and he felt like he was going to be sick. “Tell me!”

“T-to steal…” He whispered through gritted teeth.

“To steal what!?”

“I don’t know...” He felt his mouth jerk, like it was moving on it's own, the tingling in his tongue started to sting. “The rock.”

“Why?” She reached down and grabbed a fist full of Nick’s fur, lifting his face to meet hers. Nick squinted at her, seeing the fury in her eyes. “Tell me why!”

“Paid. Someone paid me to steal it.”

“Who!?”

“I don't know!” Nick felt steel hit bone as Judy punched him across the face with her gauntlet fist.

“Tell me!”

“I-I don’t know...I never saw him. Just his envoy...a badger…”

“What was his name?”

“I don’t know.”

“Liar! A thief like you knows everyone in this city.” Another punch across the face.

“He wasn’t from the capital, I’ve never seen him before. Honest, I can’t lie with this dust stuff, right?! I’m telling you the truth.” She stared at him for a moment, her fist balled and ready to strike him again. There was a pause as her fist clenched and unclenched, her voice lowered to a deadly serious tone.

“You were headed to the docks, why?”

“It was our meeting spot.”

“Where exactly.”

“A ship...The Dread Wolf.” Nick moved his jaw back and forth, it was painful to try to fight the spell. Judy let Nick’s fur go and looked over her shoulder at the guard by the door.

“Have someone go and check the shipyard, hurry.”

“Right away Captain.” The bear stood to attention, placed his hand over his heart with a thump of his fist, and left. This left just the three of them. The bunny knight looked down at him and stared for a long moment. He watched the way the fire glinted over the metal of her armor. She looked so menacing, something he never imagined describing a bunny as.

“Have you ever broken into the palace before tonight?” The way she glared at him, the pure unbridled force of her anger, it caused him to truly fear for the outcome of all of this.

“No.” This didn’t seem to please her as she widened her eyes and took a deep breath of frustration.

“He cannot lie.” Arisa reminded her, her words seeming to come out of concern.

“Are you from his country?” This question too was laced with so much frustration and anger.

“Yes.” Here he watched the two women exchanged looks with each other, something about his answer confused them, and even seemed to startle them.

“You truly are just a thieving fox.” She raised an eyebrow down at him, her features softened just slight.

“I am.” He felt like he wanted to say more to that, but kept his mouth shut. What he said was true, but he felt that there was more to it.

“Just a dumb fox with no idea what it is he has gotten himself into.” They heard the door opening as the bear guard returned.

“Captain.” He seemed out of breath. “You should come see this.” The Captain nodded and looked down at Nick once more.

“This isn’t over.”

“Oh I look forward to it.” He winked at her, pushing his luck in spite of his nervousness, earning him another punch that caused him to black out again.

  


~~~

 

When he came to this time, he was laying in a cell. No bed, no food, just some straw. He was cold, wet, and in way more pain than before. There was something warm though on the back of his head. Reaching back, he touched the warm spot finding it to be wet. Pulling his paw back to his face revealed blood.

“Perfect.”

“Isn’t it? It’s only what you deserve, thief.” He recognized the voice and looked towards the door to his cell. There, seated in a chair, was the silver fox from before. She had the look of a gypsy, clothed in colorful garb and many adornments of jewelry. Something about her made Nick uneasy.

“What do you want?”

“We have more questions. Our captain lost her temper. Do forgive her, it’s been a long night.” Arisa smiled again, baring teeth.

“I know the feeling.” He showed her his teeth as well, knowing full well he couldn’t refuse her.

“The truth dust is still on your tongue.”

“Gross.”

“So we still need to know more about you. Where are you from?”

“I already told you.”

“I need you to be specific.” Nick scowled at her.

“Not so fast.” Nick pulled himself up into a more comfortable sitting position and stretched his arms and neck feeling them crack. “Let’s play a game, I have a few questions of my own.” He saw her face appear to look far less amused than before.

“And why should I answer any of your questions?”

“Humor me, we’ll take turns, you go first.” Nick crossed his legs, resting his chin in his palm, motioned for her to ask.

“Alright,” She grinned another toothy smile. “Where are you from? And be specific.”

“I was born in a small village called Amber, it’s about a two day walk from Animalia.” At this her eyes narrowed.

“Interesting, you are a long way from home fox.”

“My turn. What are you?” He wanted to know why she made him feel so uneasy.

“I am a Seer.” Nick was unfamiliar with what this meant. He had expected her to say she was a mage. He didn’t let it show on his face, just nodded.

“Why are you here in the capital?”

“My parents died when I was seven, I had no other family so the village elder brought me here to an orphanage.” It felt strange speaking about it, he hadn’t talked about his parents in years. Nor had he ever told anyone of his circumstances.

“That’s very sad, I’m truly sorry such a thing happened to you.”

“My turn.” Shaking off the unhappy memory he pushed past it in favor for what he was really curious about.

“That bunny knight, tell me about her, what is her name?” At this question Arisa looked genuinely surprised.

“What interest do you have in her?” Nick bit his tongue, but felt the stinging sensation of the truth dust. His mouth moved without his permission.

“Her eyes, I can’t forget them.” Nick, who had averted his gaze, looked up to Arisa. She seemed slightly pleased, this obviously amused her.

“Hopps. Her name is Captain Judy Hopps. And she is the strongest mammal you will ever meet.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This work is entirely experimental. I've never written a adventure story and wanted to try my hand at it. I really love Zootopia and thought that Judy and Nick would work really well in a fantasy environment. I have two more chapters fully written and will upload them in a few weeks. Going to test the waters and if it does well then keep an eye out for more. Enjoy!


	3. A Queen's Words

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who commented and left me kudos! I'm glad you enjoyed chapter one! It made me a little excited and so here is chapter two earlier than I planned! Working on chapter four and making lots of progress! Question: What would be a good name for Finnick's shop? His pawn shop is going to be introduced in chapter four and I'm stumped for a name. Any suggestions would be helpful! Credit will be given if I see one I like. :)

A Mage’s Heart

Chapter two: A Queen’s Words

 

Time seems to move by slowly when you’re confined to a cell. Days and nights start to blend as the mind turns over the past and present events in a mammal’s life. Nick was not an exception to this. He found his skin begin to itch more and more with every moment he was locked away down here beneath the castle. He was far too sharp-witted to be kept in a place so aggravatingly dull. With just four walls and a fireplace there wasn’t much to keep his mind occupied. Over the weeks that came he had won over the guards, his constant chattering didn’t give them much of a choice, so that was something. He personally found their conversations lacking in imagination, so he kept them engrossed with tall tales that stretched the boundaries between truths and lies.

The days he actually looked forward to were the ones when the bunny knight came to visit him. It was always more of an interrogation than a visit; there was always a lot of yelling, plus the more-than-deserved punch. Throughout it all she amused him more than any of the others. He didn't even mind her punches now really, as he found he liked the look in her eyes when she was angry. When he was alone he caught himself thinking of her. Wanting to know what drove that fiery look in her eyes when she spoke. She was fierce, strong-willed, and her loyalty to her Queen and country were without rival. He’d never met anyone like her.

She had become a fascination to him. A bunny becoming a Blessed Knight; a knight alone was shock enough, but to be blessed? A knight bestowed with the power of magic to defeat the evils of this word. That was a tale fit for songs. He could believe it though after seeing her these past few weeks. She wasn’t one to take things lightly, and Goddess help the poor mammal that questioned her on it. He knew deep inside she would die for her Queen.

After two weeks he had thought she would have run out of things to question him on, but she never ceased to surprise him. She asked him about everything; his parents, friends, dealings, the places he liked to thieve from, people who had hired him throughout his life, if he had any sources from other countries, his thoughts on Queen Natia’s rule...it was a long long list of things. Most of the information seemed unimportant for them to know, but then again what did he know. They even raided his house, if you can call the rundown attic of a blacksmith's shop a house, but that was what it was. Of course they found little to nothing of any real importance. He had few worldly possessions, and what they did find had more value to him than to anyone who lived by the copper.

“Hey,” There was a hard knock on the bars of his cell. Nick rolled his tired eyes up to meet the bear guard. “Stand up, the Captain's here to see you.”

Nick slowly stood from his meager bed of straw on the cold stone floor. He lazily stretched with a wide toothy yawn. Bending himself here and there he cracked his back and scratched the nap of his neck; his fur was starting to get a bit matted in places. He wished then for a proper bath. Figuring this visit was like any other he wasn’t feeling overly concerned. That changed when guards started to file in, more than he had ever seen down here before.

When the sound of paw falls stopped Nick looked up and was now very surprised, as guards lined every inch of wall space. This may have been a jail below the castle, but it was rather small, not meant to hold prisoners for long. He had been growing suspicious as to why he had been kept here so long, and today’s sight gave more cause for worry than suspicion. The guards began to light the torches just as Captain Hopps strode in. Today she was in full blessed armor and it shined as the firelight caught it’s sharp edges. The seer, Arisa, fell just a few paces to the back of her on the left; and the large water buffalo was to her right. He too was in full blessed armor. It added to his already large size which made the sight of him even more intimidating. Both of him and Judy emanated a dominating presence as their armor almost seemed to glow silver in the firelight. Nick was now very...very concerned.

Captain Hopps came to stand in front of Nick’s cell. Her hand was firmly gripping the hilt of her sword.

“Well, good morning bunny knight, and to what do I owe this, might I say, very grand greeting?” He gave her a little sly smile, the one he gave her every time she came to see him, it was never appreciated.

“Today I advise you to only, and I mean ONLY, speak when asked a direct question. Do I make myself clear?” Her face was as unchanging at always, except for the bit of a twitch her nose made.

“Crystal, though I have been known to forget.”

“It is in your best interest not to. If I so much as suspect any mischievousness I will not hesitate to strike you down where you stand. This,” she gestured her hand to the water buffalo. “is first Lieutenant Bogo, he will also not hesitate to strike you down should you give him cause.” Nick raised a brow up at Lieutenant Bogo, who let out a heavy huff. Nick took note of the massive axe strapped to his back.

“Impressive, really, I’m genuinely intimated. Now, would you explain why that is?” He gestured to all the guards in the room.

“Today you will show the most grand respect, you will be watched and evaluated and if I see any misbehavior there will be a swift punishment.” She didn’t seem to acknowledge his question, but Nick did notice that every time she spoke the grip on her sword tightened and her nose twitched every so often. Her eyes were narrowed to where the light from the fireplace made the purple in them sparkle like dust coming out of the flames. The smallest shiver ran down his spine, causing the fur on his arms prickle.

“Got it…” It came out as a hiss followed by a gulp of nerves.

There was the sound of a dungeon door opening, it caused all the guards in the room to straighten to full attention. What Nick saw next made his eyes widen in shock. The graceful snow leopard that came through the doorway was garbed in the most royal of attire. A purple dress flowing over her shoulders and ruffling around her feet; a slit in the back was made for her beautifully long and fluffy tail to protrude through. A metal armor like belt wrapped around her waist and etched into it was the cat crest of her house. A simple circlet settled between her large rounded ears and was embellished with a large aqua jewel to symbolize the sea that lined half of her country. This was the Queen, and her presence filled the room in a warm, but powerful aura.

Arisa pulled out a chair for her and bowed deeply. Queen Natia choose not to sit, instead she came to stand directly before Nick’s cell. Her eyes were a deep green, a green so bright Nick almost thought he could see them swirl and gleam like emerald jewels. The small delicate spots beneath her eyes, which continued upwards onto her cheeks, made her face look young and elegant. Up close she was so enchantingly lovely  it took his breath away. Hesitantly he gave her a low bow, looking down at her feet.

“My Queen…” Nick barely managed to get the words out, it was his first time seeing her. The way she stood before him, tall, poised, paws crossed calmly over her stomach; her face was so serene and regal, it made him feel like an intruder.

“Am I?”

“What?” Nick looked up at her, confused by her words.

“Your Queen. Am I? You seem to have had no qualms about sneaking into my castle, breaking into my tower, and stealing this country’s most treasured possession. Now, do those sound like the actions of a loyal citizen of my kingdom?” She tilted her head slightly, a small smile pursed on her muzzle. Her eyes glinted in a mischievous way. It caused Nick to bashfully  look away and rub the back of his neck.

“Well, when you put it that way Queenie it makes me seem like a bad guy.”

“Careful how you address your Queen, thief!!” It was Lieutenant Bogo who bellowed out the warning in a great booming voice. Queen Natia held up a paw to silence him. Nick rolled his eyes over to the bunny knight and winked at her. Hopps’ mouth tightened into a hard line and her eyes looked furious, but she said nothing.

“Nick,” The Queen spoke his name in a smooth calm tone. “I am here because I want to confirm some of our findings about you for myself. I am aware of the fact that you have been questioned relentlessly these past two weeks and for this you have been given no answers for your own questions. Allow me a few more inquiries, and then you will be given answers to your own.” She spoke with the graceful yet commanding tone fitting of the leader of an entire country. Nick could see no room for a snarky remark or a refusal. He nodded at her in agreement.

“I’ve been warned of your habit for roundabout explanations, so for that matter these will be yes or no questions, unless of course I ask you to elaborate. Understood?” He nodded again.

“Good, first question, did you grow up in an orphanage?

“Yes.”

“Because your parents died when you were still a kit?”

“Yes.”

“Are you from this country?’

“Yes.” Nick’s eye narrowed, he had been getting asked this alot and was unsure of the significance of it.

“Are your mother and father from this country?”

“Yes.”

“And what about your grandparents, great-grandparents, what about even further than that?” Nick’s eyes knitted together at this question and he answered more hesitantly than the others.

“...No.” He saw the Queens’ eyes flicker here and her tail twitched.

“Explain.”

“My mother told me once that our family had ties to another country through a long dead relative, but that’s all I know. She would never say more than that.” He barely remembered that conversation, but it was the truth.

“Which country?” The Queens’ voice lowered here, it caused Nick’s fur to stand on end and all his instincts told him not to say. Her face was still regal, but it was the way her eyes bore into him, something about her felt dangerous.

“I don’t know.”

“He is lying your majesty.” Arisa’s sultry voice hissed under her cloak. Nick snapped his gaze over to look at her, the smallest glint of her toothy smile showed under her hooded cloak.

“Where?” The Queen asked again and Nick knew by the way the Captain gripped her sword that he would not be asked again so nicely.

“Dostringar…” His shoulders fell as he said the name in a heavy breathy voice full of dread. He felt his cell grow colder as the eyes of everyone around him widened. He knew why some of them looked frightened, other’s sad, but the Queen…

Nick lifted his gaze to her and her face looked as though she was relieved, as though some information known only to her was now confirmed correct. He instantly regretted not trying to lie his way out of it.

Dostringar is the country to the east of Furosie. There is a long standing history of war between the two countries. Dostringar had tried to drive Furosie to the brink of non-existence, before it even had time to develop into an independent country, some thousand years ago. Since then the two have been bitter enemies with no chance for peace. For the last hundred years Dostringar has been on the thin edge of starting another war. It left an air of unease in the minds of the Queen’s subjects. Dostringar was known for its way of twisting magic into something dark and evil. The rumours of what happened to mammals there were the subject of nightmares. Stories of heinous crimes filled the whispers in late night taverns. With little contact with Dostringar’s ruler all anyone had to go off of were the rumours. Rumours though seemed to be enough to strike fear into the hearts of mammals.

“Does your family have a history of magic?” Despite the thick air of panic from the guards, Queen Natia continued, her voice held no trace of wavering.

“No…”

“Do you have magic?”

“Of course not!”

“Yes or no?”

“Do you think if I had magic I would’ve let you treat me this way!? I would’ve escaped a long time ago.” His mouth was ajar with astonishment. The idea of he, himself, having anything remotely like magic was ludicrous.

“Yes or No!?” Queen Natia’s voice bordered on the edge of a refined yell. Her patients was coming to an end, and quickly.

“NO! I don’t have magic! Just because I have some small inkling of a tie to that miserable country doesn't mean I have evil magic!!!” Nick was gripping the cell door now, shaking it with his frustration. He knew little to nothing about his family's history with that country and didn’t know why such a weak amount of blood would matter to anyone now. He knew for a fact that refugees came from there on occasion, so why should be be treated any different.

There was a silence about the room and all that could be heard was the crackle of the fireplace. He dared not look at the bunny knight. He didn’t need to look at her to feel the boil of anger in her eyes. Instead he kept his eyes fixed on the Queen. There was not a strand of fur out of place on her glorious face. The way she looked at him, imposing her will, it defeated him. Nick hung his head, ears pressed back against his skull,  fighting the strong urge to fall to his knees.

“Can you tell me what this is?” There was the small sound of metal clinking together, his ears flickered about to the familiar sound. When he looked up he came face to face with his necklace dangling just before his eyes. A small wave a relief washed over him. He had asked several times since he was caught about its whereabouts and was never given an answer, he was glad to see it safe.

“It’s my necklace,” he chuckled, “thanks for holding on to it for me.”

“You might not be so happy to see it again.” The necklace slowly rotated with the light, swaying on its silver chain. As it turned, the symbol carved into its back caught the firelight, making the outline glint with the flames. Engraved there was a wolf's face and in it’s jaws it gripped a mage's staff.

“Do you know what this symbol is?”

“No idea, but I bet you’re going to tell me.” He had always been curious, but his mother would never say.

“It’s a symbol used by a mage working for the house of Fangmar. Though, it’s been centuries since this particular symbol has been used. This position within the Fangmar household no longer exists, not since, well...since the last mage to serve them betrayed their family in favor for serving my house.” Her words were slow and carefully placed. She never took her eyes off of Nick, she wanted to see every twitch of his ears and memorize the way his expression took on a look of shock.  

Fangmar was the ruling family of Dostringar. A house of wolves whose bloodline has ruled over Dostringar since its founding. Nick couldn't even begin to fathom how his family ended up with such a dark object. He stared at his once precious stone, and a dreadful sick feeling welled up in his stomach.

“Nick…do you know who this necklace once belong to?”

“...My...mother.”

“And before her?”

“My grandmother.”

“What about before that? Who first possessed it?”

“I don’t know!” Ripping his tortured gaze from the necklace Nick threw himself up against the bars and began to shout at her. Through gritted teeth he tried to keep his anger in place but her questions struck him deeper than any punch from Captain Hopps. “I have no idea! Ok!? So stop it with the mind games and just tell me! As far as I’m concerned it’s just been a family heirloom! I don’t have any connection to Dostringar or Fangmar! So stop treating me like a spy! What does any of this matter to you! I’m just a thief who was paid to steal a rock so throw me in the the city prison already will ya!” By now he was screaming with bared teeth as he shook the bars of his cell fiercely. There was the sharp sound of a sword being drawn from its sheath as Captain Hopps struck her blade along the bars above Nick’s paws causing sparks to fly.

Nick kept his tight grip on the iron door and glared the bunny knight down. He was tired of these games and was done being cooperative.

“I believe that is all for today. I have all the knowledge I came for.” Queen Natia slipped the necklace back into her sleeve as she turned to leave, but paused as Nick began to shake the bars again.

“What! No! NO! You can’t just come down here and drop that literal ton of crap on me and leave! You said you would answer my questions! What do you know!? Tell me! Tell ME!” Nick’s whole body shook with disperaton.

“In time you will know all that I do, but not this day.” She gave Nick a look of genuine sympathy before she disappeared back up the steps.

“You bitch!” Nick hollered the insults, and was rewarded, as promised, with swift punishment. Captain Hopps’ fist glowed with an electric blue light and she punched Nick hard in his stomach through the bars, dropping him to the ground. He curled himself up into a tight ball as he hugged his gut. Blinking tears out of his eyes he looked up at her. Instead of a cocky smile he growled; he was starting to get sick of looking up at her. She reached for the fur atop of his head and pulled his face up to hers.

“If you ever, EVER speak to her majesty in such a foul way again I will kill you.” She dropped his head, causing his face to hit the bars. The guards began to file out after the Queen until t was just Arisa left. Nick pulled himself up against the stone wall and watched them.

“Arisa...Arisa, please...wait! Answer my questions please!” Nick stretched his paw out towards her. Pleading with her not to leave him alone in this state. She lifted her head towards him, her eyes glinting in the shadow of her cloak.

“Not today fox, today you will sit here and contemplate. All will be known to you in due time.”

“No!” He shouted, his voice a deep garbled sound of anguish. “No! Stop! Come back! Come BACK!” The door to the dungeon slammed shut leaving only the sounds of an empty room. “...come back…”

 

~~~

 

No one said anything as they walked by the Queen’s side. The guards disappeared, leaving only Judy and Arisa to walk with her. She set a slow leisurely pace, not seeming to have a destination. She kept her head high and didn’t bother to check to see who was still following. She took her time, enjoying this quiet moment that allowed her to ponder the event that had just taken place. Her elegant tail swished from side to side and her ears occasionally flicked. When it seemed she was finally ready to talk they had come to a halt in an open air hall out in the castle gardens. This was her personal garden so it assured that no one would over hear them. Her majesty took a seat on a bench between two large rose bushes, in front of her was a fountain with it’s centerpiece being a reared leopard spouting water.

“Well, that was interesting to say the least.” She smoothed out her dress before crossing her paws over her lap. Looking up she smiled at her two most trusted subjects and even more valuable friends. Here they could speak plainly to each other, not the tiptoed words that would be given to her in the council hall.

“That is one way of putting it.” Arisa snickered to herself, pushing back her hood. The tiny golden hoops on her black furred ears clicking as she flicked them.

“It’s definitely not what I would call it.” Judy’s brows furrowed together as she looked to her Queen most disapprovingly. “I did not expect you to give him so much information. Telling him about the necklace is not something we discussed.” She sighed as she pinched the small bridge of her nose. “I fear he now knows too much.”

“You do not approve?”

“I don’t. We’ve overwhelmed him, he’ll be less willing to cooperate and will now press us for more information. Of which we have little to give, mostly it’s just speculation.”

“Truely, he knows nothing more than what we have already discussed telling him, nay be it sooner, but still....” Natia smiled up at Judy in a comforting way. “When I saw how he reacted to the necklace, Judy...my heart ached for him.”

“Don’t let him fool you, don’t forget he broke into the palace. I don’t trust him yet.” Judy huffly crossed her arms over her chest and stomped her foot rapidly in agitation.

“I haven’t forgotten, and I did not give him everything I know. No, far from it, it was just the tip of knowledge.” She reached into her sleeve and pulled out the necklace. “I felt he had a right to know where he comes from. We know this much and so should he. This way he has time to ponder my words.”

“So you actually believe it to be true?” Judy stared down at the purple stone in the Queen’s paws. Such a small thing, fragile on it’s thin silver chain, and yet it held such an ominous presence.

“I do, all we have is this as proof but something tells me it is so.” Natia touched the stone gently, staring at the ancient marking.

“He is still a thief your majesty, he could have thrown our country into another war. We cannot afford to be too trusting based off a feeling.” Judy took a deep breath, fearing she may have overstepped. Something about Nick drove her need to serve justice, to protect Queen Natia from a danger that wasn’t even there, but a feeling within her.

“War is at our doorstep and I have no experience leading a country into a bloodbath, all I have are my feelings.” Natia closed her eyes as tight as she could, holding her fears in check. “As we’ve discussed before, Nicholas Wilde has a part to play in all that is to come.”

“That means play nice Captain.” Arisa’s golden eyes narrowed and glowed just the slightest. “I’ve seen it, I can still see it. He has a great role to play.”

The three women looked to each other. The future of the Queen's kingdom was uncertain and to have to trust it in the paws of a stranger was not something any of them was comfortable with.

“The next part of this will have to be played out with the utmost delicacy, but I trust in Arisa’s vision. If she says Nicholas has a part in this, and if he truly is who I think he is, then he will be a great ally in the year to come.” The Queen looked to Judy, her strongest and most faithful Blessed Knight. “Have faith my friend.” Judy’s nose twitched, her face scrunching up, moved by her Queen’s words.

“I will follow whatever task you set for me, My Queen.” She placed her paw over her heart and bowed deeply, her left paw still gripping the hilt of her sword.

  



	4. A Power Within

 

A Mage’s Heart

Chapter three: A Power Within

 

Weeks, maybe a month, must have gone by before Nick was summoned by the Queen. In that time he had begun to lose all hope of ever getting out of these four walls. The guards who had once conversed with him now ignored his attempts to get their attentions. The ones who he had gotten friendly with now no longer acknowledge him beyond meal time. All his demands fell on deaf ears and unempathetic expressions. He had begged them to see the Queen, but that hope had slowly died inside him. He was felt alone with his betrayal and unanswered questions. 

Arisa came to check on him a few times, but her company was not what he wanted. She still refused to answer his questions, instead she persisted to annoy him with chatter about the kingdoms gossip; these visits seemed to come at her amusement. The bunny knight never came, not that he wanted to see her. He still felt anger about the way those women had played him. As time went by she became a distant thought as his optimism began to fade. 

So when the day came that he was finally summoned upon by Queen Natia he thought for sure it would be for his execution. They had gotten what they wanted out of him, so now what use was there to keep him alive? He was confused by the demand for his cleanliness thought, why have a dead mammal bath? After a meager breakfast of bread and water, he was provided with a bucket of freezing cold water, cloth, and soap. He was grateful, so long without a wash left him smelling to the point it had even begun to bother his nose. So, despite his inevitable end, he would at least be decently clean for it. 

Once dry Nick was taken out of his cell in chains, bound paws and ankles, all were a little heavy for him. His feet dragged and scruffed the ground as he shuffled along. Pushed along by the rough hooves of rhino guards, Nick scampered his way up the stairs. As he had suspected, his cell had been deep below the castle. Several winding halls, stairs, and locked door later, Nick finally saw daylight. Squinting his eyes Nick stumbled with momentary blindness. Too long had he only seen light by the dim flames of the fireplace. 

As they entered the courtyard Nick was bombarded with the sights, sounds, and smells of everyday life. The yard was filled with the bustling of mammals, noble and merchant alike. Chattering conversation caused his ears to flicker every which way. The smell of early morning bread teased his nose, forcing his mouth to water with a craving of sweet rolls. These sounds and aromas that had once been the mundane background to his everyday life now made his heart ache. It all felt so foreign to him now that Nick  was no longer sure just how long he had been locked away. 

“Move it!” A blow with a hoof to Nick’s back brought him out of his daze. His chains made awful clinking noises as he shuffled through the crowd. The mammals around them paid Nick little attention, save for a curious glance or two, as the guards forced him forward towards the main part of the castle. 

Entering through the castle’s double doors they immediately came face to face with more nobles, these a higher class of life than the ones outside. Each elegantly dressed in the fashionable noble attire of flounces and frills. They held their heads high as they walked with an air of superiority in the face of a lowly criminal. Some whispered to each other behind lacy hand fans, some gasped at the sight of a dangerous prisoner while clutching pearls, and others pretended they didn’t see him. These noble airs reeked of strong perfumes and imported cigarettes,  all of it mixing together and stinging Nick’s nose; he fought the urge to paw at it. As they walked, Nick did his best to ignore them all. Never let them see that they get to you, he reminded himself. Though after being that cell for what felt like an eternity, their stares and hushed voices made him feel increasingly vulnerable.

The further into the castle they went the harder Nick had to fight to keep his eyes on the ground. The castle was a stunning sight to behold, his glances here and there filled him with wonder. Marbled floors so well polished he could see his own reflection. The carpet beneath his feet was like walking on clouds as he curled his toes in. The abundance of wealth was present in every elaborate statue, oil painting, and tiny intricate detail in the molding on the walls. It all sparkled in the the light of the sun. The complete opposite of what little he had seen on the night of his break in, the mage tower was a far cry from the elaborate decor of the main castle. 

Even the air here smelled different, now that he was out of the public spaces, the sweetness of roses from the Queen’s gardens filled the open air halls. Fresh flowers arranged in exotic vases from far off lands lined every corridor. They filled the palace with their sweet floral aroma. Among the flowers, the fragrance of lavender oil tickled at his nose. It was the lavender that brought a hint of a smile to his face. The essence reminded him of the way his mother used to rub the oil on his cuts to help them heal. The memory of her was faint now that he was grown, but little things always brought her back to him.

When the guards stopped him, they were before another pair of large wooden double doors. These doors were a deep red color with rearing snow leopards carved elaborately into the woodwork. It made for an impressive sight. The guards on either side of the doors, a zebra and a moose, hit the floor with the bottoms of their heavy spears three times. The loud thuds echoing down the empty hall they had come from. There was silence then and Nick had to wonder what this display was all for. Then, from inside, three heavy thuds answered theirs. The doors opened with a great boom, a sign of how heavy they were, for it was two elephant guards, one on each door, that pulled them open from the inside. Cool air wafted out, ruffling Nick’s fur, and more lavender oil of course. 

This room was the biggest Nick had seen yet, as expected of a throne room. Stepping forward, his paws met with a soft purple carpet. It ran the length of the room and ended at the Queen’s throne. A push from behind urged him forward, causing his shackles to rattle. Those chains were the only sound heard in this massive hall as he moved down the length of the carpet. 

This certainly was a room fit to be the center of Furosie’s Monarchy. The ceiling was deeply concave, gorgeously painted with scenes from throughout the history of Furosie; scenes portraying a great war, the magic of the Blessed Knights, and the rise of a leopard Queen. Gold leaf was on every delicately carved molding, standing out on the white walls. Golden leopard heads had been sculpted beautifully into the woodwork, surrounded by flowers. The sight was as awe inspiring as it was frightening. For such a glorious room there was only one piece of furniture in it, a throne. 

As he neared the end of the carpet Nick was surprised at the small number of people here, despite being able to hold the entire castle if need be. The two rhino guards stepped away, replaced by two bobcats. This only furthered his suspicion that he may not make it out of here with his life. Hesitating on the finally steps Nick ran his eyes up the few lone steps before the royal chair, laying them finally on Queen Natia. She struck a regal sight, still as stone and green eyes narrowed on her subjects. Her attire today was a royal blue dress, embellished with silver thread embroidery. The crown atop her head was silver, circling her ears and adorned with pearls and a large bright sapphire. One paw gripped the arm of her throne, while the other held a scepter. The scepter was simple, but not without its own grandeur. A large clear crystal sat atop the thick silver staff, and holding the crystal in place were silver leaves that sprouted from silver vines that ran up the length of the staff. 

Natia shifted her hip slightly, breaking her stone-like demeanor. Her sudden movement caused Nick’s ears to flinch back unconsciously, and he had to fight the urge to pull his tail around his feet. When she finally rested a calm focused look on Nick, it sent his instincts awry, and he ended up curling his tail anyway. Dry mouthed, he licked the inside of his mouth and took a shaky swallow of air. Arisa, garbed in a heavy cloak to where he could only see her snout, stood to the Queen's left and an elderly lion stood dignified to the right. His gaze moved about until he finally found the Bunny knight standing just at the bottom of the steps. Beside her was the water buffalo, and behind them stood the rest of the Blessed Knights, twelve of them, and every one of them in full armor. On the other side of the room was a menagerie of mammals. They all were dressed head to toe in riches, presenting themselves as royals and mammals of importance. All eyes rested on Nick in judgment for what was to come.  

The silence was broken by a gruff coughing and clearing of the throat by the lion. He unrolled a large scroll, holding it out at arms length. Tilting his head back to see down his nose and through his glasses, he began to read. 

“Nicholas Wilde, for your heinous crimes against the crown, namely of thievery, breach upon the castle, and…” pausing here, the elderly lion took a side glance at Bunny knight. She gave him a slight nod that made Nick’s stomach sickeningly twist. He ears lowered, not liking the looks exchanged between him. Natia never broke her piercing eyes from Nick, the smallest hint of a smirk settled at the corner of her mouth. 

“...and involvement in a plot to murder our beloved Queen and to bring war upon this country of fair and young Furosie!”  

“WHAT!” The cat guards behind Nick grabbed at his shoulders, holding him back as he struggled against the accusations laid upon him. “That’s a lie!” His jaw clenched in anger, his teeth grated as growls escaped his throat. 

“Continue, Lionheart.” Queen Natia spoke, calmly, in the presence of Nick’s growing rage. Hackles raised as Nick bore his anger into her with his eyes. 

“These crimes have resulted in the necessary attention of her grandness, her most excellent majesty, Natia Sophipaw Lustira, Queen of Furosie. May it be known that this day will be notated by the court, and the consequences of Her Majesty's judgements inscribed for all eternity.” 

“Thank you for that most glorious introduction Sir Lionheart.” Her voice was almost a purr as she spoke. 

“The honor is all mine, oh most  illustrious.” Lionheart bowed slightly, his paw extending and rolling in a grand gesture. 

“This is unbelievable! Being a thief isn’t a good enough crime, so you add a murder plot against the crown and country on me too!? How fucking honorable of you, her highness.” He spat on the ground before her, sick to his stomach of what he was hearing. His guards still held him in place, for his body was shaking with such great force he was in visible trembles. His tail was standing straight up, bristled with his rage. Lips curled up to expose his teeth, and his muzzle a wrinkle of skin from snarling. He could feel his death coming, but he had no power to do anything about it. He was a thief with the deck was stacked against him. These royals with their titles and coin could get away with anything. He wasn’t going to go quietly.

“How dare you!” Judy sprang forward, her paw raised to slap him, but Natia raised her hand silently, stopping Judy. 

“It is not as unbelievable as you may think, Nicholas.” Queen Natia spoke, but it was Arisa that came forward, a small but elegant golden box in her paws. Opening it revealed the rock he had stolen. It was hard, very hard, to believe that this red rock was the culprit of all he was being accused of. He remembered Bunny knight’s words now though, she had said it may result in his death. How true that was proving to be now.  

“As I’ve said before, I don’t know what that is supposed to be. I find it hard to believe that this, this little rock puts me in position to be accused of attempted murder.” He glared at the rock, feeling tense in its presence. Regretting he had ever laid eyes on it.  

“The significance of this precious stone is lost on you, I do believe that, now. Sadly the mammals who paid you to steal are not so in the dark. It puts you in a most dangerous position.” 

“Tell me about it.” He sneered at Queen Natia’s words, his body was still ridgied. He hated every mammal in this room, never in his life had he felt so powerless as he did in this moment. All he could do was stand here, held chained and forced to eat the shit he was being fed. 

“Nevertheless, the crimes against you stand as they are. This stone is worth more than the life of all who have gathered here today, including my own. Had your thievery been successful you would have put this country, and it’s citizens, in great danger. Danger equivital to that of the war that birthed this nation. Your actions could have very easily brought death to every mammal in this room.” Her words hit him like an icey wave crashing down over him. He felt his eyes go wide, hackles lowered as his body went limp, his jaw going slack, and the expression on his face was easy for anyone to read. For her to say such a thing was no laughing matter. The life of the Queen was believed to be above anyone’s, even he whole of the countries. He sensed no lie in their voice though, her feelings came across clear as bells. She truly felt that this stone was worth so much and therefore bore such great exaggerations. Nick was finding himself way over his head and at the mercy of a power greater than all of them. Being at the end of his rope, he saw no way out. 

“If you’re...going to kill me...make it quick…” Hanging his head low, the words slipped out slowly as he bit back the lump in his throat. Ears pinned back against his skull in defeat, his anger slowly ebbing away. 

“You’re death may yet come, but first I want to explain a few things to you. As serious as your crimes are, there may be a bigger role for you to play here.” All eyes were on her majesty, but slowly they turned to him. As defeated as he felt, a bit of curiosity began set in as he listened to her words. He resisted the urge to look up at her though.

“I...don’t understand…” 

“Do you know the history of Furosie?” 

“Not really.” 

“You are uneducated?”

“Self taught, mostly.”    


The Queen let out a sigh as she closed her eyes. “Then I’ll start at the beginning.” As Nick peeked up, meeting the eyes of the Queen, it surprised him that she was doing all the talking. She spoke in a eloquent manner, strong and demanding, but soft. Her voice made you want to listen, and he hoped there may be something in her words that would save him from the fate that he felt was all too near for him. 

“It’s common knowledge that this country is young, nestled between the powerful Dostringar to the East and Mystopolica to the West. They are strong counties, with long proud histories, our country is not so. Every child, royal and country mammal alike, knows of the Great War, our fight to be independent of Dostringar.” Strong words poured from her, laced with passion from her very heart. It was obvious she loved her country. None of this was new information to Nick though, every mammal knew of the story, the war. His parents had taught it to him, the truth and the legend that came after. 

“Sadly, truth has become a bedtime story. What finally brought an end to the bloodshed has for some reason been turned into a fantasy, a fairytale to lay young kits down to sleep at night. You know it, yes?” Here, her voice rang solemn. Nick nodded an answer to her question, and there was a pause from her, urging him to continue for her. He let his head hang down as he remembered his mother’s words. 

“A mage appeared and brought with them a fruitful seed of light. Planting the seed it grew into a massive tree bearing magical fruit. Twelve of the most true and just warriors ate the fruit, blessing them with the power to vanquish evil. It was with their new powers that they, with the help of the mage, were able to bring an end to the war.” It had been his favorite story when he was a kit. One his mother had told him often, he had never forgotten it. 

“More or less that is what happened. That tree is real though, this castle was built around it, and my Blessed Knights have all eaten of its fruit in order to be vessels for it’s magic. And SHE was real!” A small rise of desperation rose in Natia’s voice, as though she was trying to stress how important it was for Nick to understand. “It was with her guidance that the first Queen built this castle and shaped this land into a symbol of peace and equality. She believed that this country could become free of Dostringar’s rule.” Natia stood from her throne and Nick watched her regal figure take the steps down to him. Her tail swishing from side to side and her crown glittered where the light hit it. “Her willingness to fight against Dostringar was more than just bravery in the face of tyranny. The stories leave out who she was, and because of that those facts have been lost, but I know...and so Nicholas Wilde, I call on you now to lay upon you this knowledge.” She came to stand before Nick and he felt lost in her story, not knowing what she would say next. There was silence as she put forth her paw to reveal his necklace nestled there. The sight caused Nick to sigh with dread, shaking his head, remembering her words from that night in the dungeon. 

“This necklace belonged to her as it belongs to you now. Bearing the crest of the mage to the House of Fangmar, rulers of Dostringar, and enemy to all. She betrayed her country Nicholas. You say it belonged to your mother, and her grandmother before her. You told me you are aware of some ties in your family to Dostringar. All of this leads me to believe that your family are the descendants of that mage...of her...Saphielle Yllaries, the saver of these lands, the most powerful mage there ever was, and probably ever will be. A figure who has fallen into myth. She too was a fox, and this....” Natia motioned for Arisa who brought forth the golden box which cradled the stone. “...this is her heart stone.” 

All he could do was stare at the two stones laid out before him. The necklace had belonged to his mother, that’s all he knew of it till now. A small reminder of her smile in his dark days after she was gone. The heart stone, just a moment ago it was some ugly rock, and now, he still didn’t know what it was but...still the weight of the objects before him was heavy.

“W-what is a heart stone. Sounds a little ominous?” he asked. Curiosity getting the better of him. Arisa closed the box, before she answered in that low crackled voice of hers.

“A mage’s heart stone is what becomes of a mage when they pull their magic in onto themselves. It’s a last resort of preservation when mages feel their lives are in danger. It takes a very talented mage to do this without killing themselves.” She tilted her head backwards to look Nick in the eyes, her golden eyes twinkled with a knowingness. “Saphielle is alive inside of this stone and has been for over seven hundred years.” 

“Alive...and in there?” He took a couple of heavy breathes, trying to digest what he was hearing. 

“Yes.” Arisa’s yes was sharp, leaving no room for doubt, she stroked the box is a sympathetic manner. “To this day we have no proof of what caused her to take such drastic measures. Whatever it was, this is the result of her feeling great danger and fear for this country.” 

“It’s always been suspected that someone came for her that night.” It was Natia who continued. “What few documents exist from that night report evidence that someone had breach the mage tower. Nothing was stolen, which suggests they were there for Saphielle. Not wanting to be captured she turns herself into a mage’s heart stone. Being captured would have meant a chance for them to get information from her. Again, this is speculation.” 

“If they were there for her, why not take the stone then? Why come for her now after all this time has passed?” 

“I’ve been told the transformation into a heart stone is a rather explosive spell, whoever was there for her may have gotten frightened. As for waiting so long, it’s hard to say. I’m sure the Fangmar rulers haven't forgotten, their history with Saphielle is a stain upon their house. I must stress to you the reason for the heart stone being such a drastic measure. After all, it is the reason I’ve called you here today.” 

“Why?” He felt himself asking before he even realized he had spoken. Natia took a deep breath as they stared at each other. 

“The reason being is that...she cannot bring herself out of this state from within the stone. She is trapped there by her own spell. Only her chosen receiver can unlock her from the stone, and once inside it cannot be undone. A single touch should be enough to do it. Every royal member of Furosie has touched it since that night to no avail.” Natia looked at the box, her desperate expression was as though through sheer will alone she could unlock the stone. “We need her.” 

“T-this is all a lot to taken in.” He clasped his paws together and rang them in nervousness, causing his chains to rattled and fill the silence in the room. Things were beginning to fall into place. Slowly he was understanding why he had been kept alive. His tail swished back and forth rapidly, betraying his evident discomfort. “So you believe I’m the….great great, et cetera et cetera, grandson of this all powerful Saphielle mage...and I tried to kidnap her, in a manner of speaking, because she’s sealed herself up inside...that rock? And let’s be clear that I had no idea, whatsoever, that the rock was actually a mammal.” As he spoke he moved his paws about animatedly, eyes shifting about, trying to get things straight. Clasping his paws together once more he looked to Natia. “Soo...what now?”

“My hope is that, if you are kin, as I believe you are, then maybe you can bring her out of the stone. We’ve never encountered a descendent of hers before now.” 

“Your Majesty, umm...if I may point out, I’ve already touched it before when I, you know...stole it.” He drummed his digits together, he had begun to feel a little better about not being killed today, but still unsure. 

“Yes, but that was then and this is now.” She turned to walk back to her throne. “It’s been discussed at great lengths the fact that currently you say you have no magic. Arisa believes that is because it is sealed inside you. Nothing in your life has ever brought you a great need to awaken it within yourself. Because of that the stone may have not reacted to you before.” When she sat down she raised her specter and brought it down hard on the floor. It’s sound echoed throughout the room, causing Nick to pin his ears back. Every mammal took several steps away from the center of the room, save for the guards who stayed behind him, paws still holding him tight. 

“And what!? You plan to force it out!?” The idea left him open mouthed and gasping at the sheer idiocy of that plan. Too far fetched to be real, or so he thought. 

“Yes.” 

“Don’t I get a say in this!? I don’t want magic! Get your paws off me damnit!” Panic triggered his fight response and he began to thrash about. “Keep it locked up! Find someone else!” His struggle against the guards was useless. They forced their weight down on him, digging their claws into his shoulders. His small frame was no match, not bound in chains as he was and still weak from being locked up. They dug their claws in more, drawing pin pricks of blood, and forcing him to his knees. Snarls rumbled up in his throat, causing his muzzel to vibrate as he tried to bite at the chains on his wrists. One of the guards grabbed the fur on the back of his neck and pulled his head up. Now his eyes felt wide and open. Everyone in the room looked at him with distant expressions that made him feel even more powerless, if that was possible. His eyes raced around the room until they landed on Judy. Her big purple orbs bore no pity or sympathy towards him. With her paws firmly gasped to her sword she was ready to cut him where he knelt if need be. 

The sound of metal being drawn from its sheath caught him attention. Looking to Arisa he saw she had drawn a dagger from her belt. It was small, but ornate with a quartz at the bottom of it’s pommel. The blade glinted at him most wickedly, and Arisa’s smile matched it. Fear, so much fear, washed over him that he gasped and threw his head about wildly. 

“Hold out his paw, grip him tight, this will be painful.” That cracky voice sounded almost excited. 

“NO! STOP THIS! This is insane!!!” His words were a desperate scream of panic, but no one cared. “Aagghhh! Bunny Knight!!!” He didn’t know why he felt the need to call for her, but her eyes were the only thing he saw when he closed his. Baring down for the pain that was about to come as Arisa began to chant intangible words. Her voice became hollowed with a strange undertone while she recited her incantation over Nick. 

A pull from deep within his body began to well up as she chanted. It started out like a gasp for air, but suddenly then it was in his bones, in his blood, in the very nerves on his skin. It was slow at first, but then quickly it began to feel like he was getting ripped away from the inside. One of the guards was grasping his left wrist in an almost breaking grip, and it was there that he felt everything being pulled to. It was forming into a pressure in his palm, something bubbling up under his skin. As everything within him, even his soul, was stretched to that point on his palm, he began to feel something being uncovered deep inside of himself. Lays upon lays were being pulled back to reveal something hidden inside of himself. He could only describe it as a void within himself, unnamable and new, but whatever it was, that too was getting pulled up and up. Heat began to radiate all over his body, causing beads of sweat to pool under his fur. All of everything that he was, converging into his palm. The void felt larger now, as if it was the only thing inside of him. This hot new presence was all about to explode from the pressure that had built up in his palm.

He was so focused on his insides that he wasn’t aware of the violent tremors causing his body to shake. Pain bloomed over his skin as Arisa’s words became louder and louder; ringing in his ears like a beat of a drum to his blood pounding in his ears. He wished for this to end. Finally he let out a loud scream and that was when Arisa drove the dagger down into his palm with all the force in her body. 

“Rethisiá!” She screamed over his howl. So soon as the dagger pierced his flesh a torrent of magic flew from the wound. Arisa’s hood blew back, causing her to stare up at the room now full of color. 

The immense pressure that had built up inside of his palm was gone. Blood poured from his paw, but something more than that spilled out; it’s source being from deep within that void that her words had brought to the surface. He felt his body’s insides bouncing back into place, as well as making room for that new strange feeling inside of him. The heat was gone, replaced by a gentle warmth radiating a feeling of comfort over him. 

“Raw magic…” Nick’s ears flicked when he heard Arisa whisper in his ear. 

_ ‘Magic huh?’  _ He thought to himself, relaxing, despite the dagger still in his paw, he opened his eyes. The sight that met his eyes was one of the most beautiful things he had ever seen. From the wound on his paw poured the most vibrant array of color. It slipped from his paw like water, going in every direction. Up into the air where swirled about the room, sparkling, bouncing, and dancing. Sliding across the floor where it wrapped mammals feet and ankles in a playful childlike manner. Above them orbs of light burst in the air and sent sparks scattering up the walls or raining down on them like fireworks. 

All around them the room felt warm, giving off a feeling of protection. Mammals reached up and ran their digits through the waves of light, causing their paws to tingle. They all seemed to be absorbing themselves in that feeling of safety, being comforted that this wasn’t anything to fear. Natia herself wore an expression of such amazement it made her look like a young cub again. Even the guards who had once been holding him so tightly, had completely released him. 

Nick looked to Judy, he smirked at what he saw. She had both paws reached up, softly gliding her paws through streams of the magic. She wore an unguarded expression, one full of wonder and delight. He could have never imagined that she could make such a face. 

“We’ve seen enough.” Arisa gently took his wrist in her hand and pulled the dagger out. As soon as it left his skin all the magic in the room was sucked back into his wound, but something most unexpected happened next. 

Silence fell over the room, all eyes were on Nick, and not a single soul dared to breath. Floating inches from Nick’s face was a spirit in the shape of a fox. She was nose to nose with him, completely translucent, but perciavable enough to see the soft outlines of her face. As with the magic there was no hostility here, she radiated the same warmth and gentleness as his magic had. Even with her lack of a tangible body Nick could see the soft emotion in her eyes. He could even make out the slight smile on her face. Everyone mammal in the room stared at them. Her presence before them was calm, peaceful, and one could even say loving. Nick’s tail gently swayed from side to side as the spirit brought her paw forward to his chest. There was a slight tingle on his skin where the very tips of her fingers seemed to brush his fur. 

_ “Soon.”  _ It was but a whispered word in his inner thoughts, but it was so powerful. Then she was gone as suddenly as she appeared. 

“Ah…” Nick gasped a little, it was as though a veil of silence was lifted and suddenly the room was a buzz with conversation. Looking down his paw was fully healed with only a grey scar on his paw pad to show for it. There was still a tingling sensation on his chest where she had touched. Bringing his paw to his chest he felt a warm metal. He grasped it and brought up to see what it was. In his paw was his necklace, restored back it’s proper place on his neck. He also took note that all his chains were gone, that caused a small chuckle to escape his lips. 

“Well would you look at that....” 

“How did you…” Judy was staring at Nick, her paw hovering just over her sword, but hesitating. Every mammal in the room recalled the feeling of warmth that had poured from his magic. It left them all feeling safe, no longer in doubt of who it was. They no longer had any fear towards him. It left Judy feeling conflicted. 

“It would seem we have our answers. No mammal who is here today would argue that you are indeed Mage Saphielle’s kin. You have her magic within you, and it’s hard to deny that she was the entity before us just now. You even wear her necklace about your neck as proof.” Queen Natia seemed to slump back in her chair exhausted. “She was here, so close to us...she..” 

“Your majesty?” Judy took several strides towards the throne. 

“I’m alright, I’m just so relieved. Suddenly I feel as though things are coming into fruition after all these years of searching.” Touching her paw to her forehead she smiled. “To think her decedent would come to us in the form of a thief.” At this she chuckled. 

“Strange how the world works, huh?” Nick scratched a little at his chin, not trying to think to hard about it all. Later it would hit him hard,but right now he was just trying to figure out where his fate still lay in all of it. 

“Yes, it is.” She straightened up in her chair. “Please, touch the stone again.” Arisa took the box from Lionheart and opened it again before Nick. This time when he looked down at the red stone he could feel an energy radiating off it. The anticipation grew, but when he touched it, nothing. 

“Huh?” He tapped it several more times, but to no avail. Even he was surprised this time, He felt a strong connection to the stone now, a familiarity as it were. This was meant for him, he was sure of it.  

A loud sigh escaped from Queen Natia, who was shaking her head side to side, eyes pinched shut. “I was so sure you were the one. How can this be, after all we’ve just been shown? I don’t understand, what is missing here?” The words were more to herself than an actual question. Every mammal in the room had similar thoughts, even Nick was staring down at the stone in stern concentration. Arisa closed the box and approached the throne, leaning down she began to whisper in the Queen’s ear. 

“That is good to hear.” Queen Natia nodded in understanding, refocusing her gaze on Nick. “While you cannot unseal the stone now, Arisa assures me that some day you may yet. Till that time I invite you stay here, in the palace. You’ll receive training and study in magic, so that when the time comes you will be able to weld your magic to its full potential. In exchange for your future service I shall have your crimes forgiven, and you will no longer be seen as an enemy to this country.” Immediately Nick burst out in a loud laugh that caught everyone in the room off guard. It was a hearty laugh that left Nick holding his stomach. 

“Excuse me, I’m sorry, I just can’t believe what I’m hearing.” He wiped a few tears out of the corner of his eyes. “Let me get this straight sweetheart, you’re saying that if I agree to stay here that you’ll forgive me of all of my crimes. You also expect me to someday help you with...whatever. Correct?”

“Yes, that is how I wish it to be.” She fixed a raised eyebrow on Nick, not seeing what was so humores.

“Why? Why should I even consider helping you?”

“Because your Queen is asking you.” It was Judy who spoke up, stepping forward just slightly. Her face now looked much softer, almost desperate as her big purple eyes stared up at him.

“Yeah, she’s asking, but I have no obligations to her or any of you. Since you arrested me I’ve been beaten, integrated, lied to, locked up for nearly two months, ignored, treated like shit, STABBED! Yeah, I stole your precious heart stone, but saying I was in a plot to murder the Queen!? What an exaggeration! And what if I wasn’t some long lost decented of some great mage, you’d me calling for my head instead of my help. You never trusted me, but guess what...I still don’t trust any of you!” His body felt flushed as his anger flared, the audacity of them to ask such a thing of him only minutes after stabbing him to reveal some magical ability. It made him sick with rage. Every mammal in the room looked at him, and then to Natia, curious as to how she would react.

“Fair enough, Nicholas Wilde, I clear you of all your crimes, you are free to leave.” It seemed like she very much wanted to say more, but closed her eyes in quite defeat. Raising her scepter she brought it down solidly, leaving no room for any mammal to argue against her decision. 

“Your Majesty.” Nick bowed to her, than turned and headed briskly out out of the hall. 

“Nick! Wait, don’t go!” Judy called after him, but was cut off by Natia.

“Captain Hopps, let him go.” The elephant guards at the door opened it for Nick to leave, than let them slam shut once he was through. 

“My Queen, why? Why let him go when we just learned so much. He truly is the key to all of this. To end a war before it starts.” Judy’s heart pounded with adrenaline with all that had just happened, confusion laced in-between her heartbeats. All her fears and anger were twisted, mingling together with the overwhelming feeling of warmth from Nick's magic. She could no longer pinpoint one feeling or the other. Nick was a large unanswerable question to her now. 

“He needs time to process all that has happened. He’s just been shown a whole new side of himself. Besides, with magic now at his disposal, this is not the last we will see of Nicholas Wilde.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know there have been some readers who have commented with concerns about Nick's harsh treatment and Judy being OOC. I myself have wondered if I was being too harsh on Nick. That being said, I think it's safe to say that Nick will need a lot of convincing for him to come back to the palace. In the next chapter you will get some insight on Judy and I promise you will see a softer side to her. Thank you all for reading and your kudos!


	5. A Soul's Weight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter took a lot of rewriting as I was doing my best to take the feedback from readers seriously. I stayed true to what I wanted to write, but just know you all had influence on the outcome. I still feel like this chapter is a bit unfinished, but I hope you will enjoy it. Finding a good balance for where I wanted Judy to go was tricky. I tried to create private moment for her where you could see the way her mind and heart are working. I hope I was able to portray it clearly. 
> 
> Credit for Finnick's shop name goes to: Tandiian
> 
> Thank you all for reading and commenting.

A Mage’s Heart

Chapter four: A Soul's Weight

 

As soon as the doors slammed shut behind him Nick let out a long sigh. He leaned back up against them to steady his shaking legs. His heart was pounding so fast it thought it would burst out of his chest. 

“This...this is nuts…” Running his paws over his face a few nervous laughs escaped him. Discovering he had magic was one thing, but telling off the Queen was something entirely different. “Well, at least I didn’t die today, that’s something.” 

“There’s still time.” He jumped a bit, looking quickly to the left of him. It was the same guards from earlier, still guarding the throne room. The zebra guard extended her arm, which gripped a leather sack, out to Nick. “ Your belongings.”

Nick hesitantly took the sack from her, finding it extremely odd that she would have such a thing ready for him. He studied her with a quizzical look on his face. With all his years of being an experienced thief, he knew something was off. “Lady Guard, tell me, just...how?” He lifted the sack, and, having looked inside, he saw his clothes, notably cleaned, his pouch of coins, and a dagger.

“Queen Natia.” Was all the zebra said. 

“Which meanssss?” Nick gestured his paw for her to continue. 

“There were instructions that if you were to leave a free mammal today, your things were to be returned to you.” 

“Ahhh, I see…” He lifted the sack onto his shoulder. “To think she thought that far ahead, how bold.” 

“Our Queen had more faith in you than anyone.” Her words surprised him.

“She has a really sick way of showing it.” Nick narrowed his eyes at her, his lip curling a bit as he snapped the words. After everything he had experienced today, and all the weeks before, faith was not something he would have used to describe her feelings. The zebra’s head balked a bit, but she didn’t give a retort. Instead she straightened herself, and resumed her post. 

“You will find your coin purse lighter; understable I’m sure, as you did break into the palace.”

“Yeah, that I did. Well, it’s been nice, but I’m afraid I have to go. Tell the Queen I’m free any time, but I’m ready to do this again in, never. See ya!” Winking at the zebra guard, he turned on his heel and waved over his shoulder. “Tell bunny knight not to miss me too much.” The thought of her actually missing him made him chuckle. 

Shoving a paw into the pocket  of his breeches, he made his way back up the long hall. Once at the corner there was another guard, a lioness, who seemed to be waiting for him. She said nothing, and instead began walking several paces behind him. He remembered the way back to the courtyard well enough, but having a guard on him just made sense, and so he didn’t say anything about it. 

It seemed like no time at all had passed as it was still midday. When passing through the airy garden hall, his nose once again filled with the fragrance of roses, lavender, and the heat of the sun on cobblestone walls. The air was warm and fresh, bringing a smile to his face as he took in a large breath of air. 

The courtyard was still a buzz of activity, busier now that the merchants were fully open to customers. The lioness stopped just short of the doors, but Nick didn’t waste any time as he half jogged down the steps. Coming out of the shadow of the palace, the sun immediately warmed up his fur; chasing away that heavy feeling that had still lingered on him since the throne room. 

Looking around as he moved through the crowd, he had nearly forgotten how lively everyday life was. There was so much noise. Sounds he had never paid much attention to before now had his ears rotating in every direction. He threaded his way forward and around towards the courtyard gate. It felt liberating to be among common class mammals without drawing any attention to himself. Much easier to do now without chains. Two months, two months since he had been free to go where he wished. No four walls, no knights, no queen, just him and his destination, or lack of one. Here on these busy cobbled streets no one looked down or up to notice him. He was just another invisible animal who slinked and pushed his way through. Among the masses of conversation, exchanges of copper, avoiding wagons, and stealing a handful of blueberries off a fruit stan, he was just another commoner. By the time he made it through the courtyard gates he was completely at home again, melded into everyday life among the walls.  

The city of Animalia consisted of four large walls dividing the city into sections. The palace courtyard was a hub of trading and selling among the higher end merchants. They catered to the nobles and higher class mammals, those with a name and coin to back that name up. Those mammals lived in the next wall referred to as the inner circle. Next was the middle class circle, here is where the merchants guilds were, also shops of refined goods; such as dress makers, magical item sellers, healer practices, and the like. Next was the outer third circle. It was the furthest from the palace, the largest of the circles, and where most of the lower class lived. Here a mammal could find cheap lodging, pubs, taverns, smithies, lower end merchant shops; it had a little bit of just about anything you could think of. The outer circle was also by far the busiest. Crowds and vendors packed every street, wagons pushed through the crowds, and the docks were in full swing. The harbor bells could be heard on the hour, ringing loudly from the west and east gates. It was in the third circle that Nick had done most of his growing up and learned all the skills of his trade. Nothing in this circle ever changed, making it feel as though he had never left.  

Out of all the shops Nick had to choose from he came to stand before one that looked of no real significance. It was nestled on a rather quiet street, tucked away off a back alley, dark and dank.  The store front had at one time been painted a light blue color, but the paint had long since chipped off.   A lit lantern hung from the doorway, signaling they were open. It was an average looking store, a small sign reading “The Golden Paw Pawn ”; a small fox face was carved into the wood just below the name. 

A tiny bell above the door rang as Nick entered. Inside it was a simple pawn shop, nothing out of the ordinary for the third circle. A plethora of new and used goods collected dust on the varied shelves and tables scattered about. Items ranged from books to clothes, potion bottles to decorative vases; this shop would buy and sell anything if it was worth something to somebody. There seemed to be no organization to any of it as things spilled onto the old dust covered wooden floor. 

“Well well, look who's not dead.” An elderly armadillo sat behind the counter, she was busying herself with some sort of needle work. Her face was titled forward so she could look at Nick over the top of her glasses. 

“Good to see you too, Dharma.” Her gave her a wink, which she huffed at and looked back down at her sewing. 

“You look like shit. You’ve been causing trouble again, haven’t you?”

“Aren’t I always?” She tsked at him, but Nick could tell her standoffishness was for show. She was just a cold woman by nature, but deep down he could tell she was relieved to see him again. He could tell it in the way her fingers were picking at the needlework without accomplishing anything. 

“He downstairs?” 

“He’s in a bad mood, your absence has caused us a lot of setbacks.” 

“Thanks for the warning.” 

Going past the counter Nick went through a curtained doorway and into the back room. It was a mess, much like the front, he had to weave around tables full of odds and ends. At the very back of the room there was a bookcase. It had plenty of books and scattered objects sitting on it, just a normal looking bookcase. A light push to the side and Nick was able to move it to reveal a set of stairs that lead down. A light could be seen at the bottom. 

“Here we go.” Pulling the bookcase back into place behind him, Nick headed down the steps. In the distance he could hear someone speaking.

“Useless! Junk! Junk! ...Worthless!” There was clattering sound of things being thrown onto a the stony floor. 

“Sounds like business isn’t going so well.” Nick casually turned the corner of the room, leaning against the doorway with a smug smile. 

“NICK!” The small fennec fox behind the dark wooden desk jumped to his feet, leaping onto the table from his chair. “You’re alive!?”

“Yeah, apparently so. Did you miss me?” 

“Everybody thought you were dead Nick! Word got out that you were captured by those blessed knights. No one's seen you for nearly two months. We just assumed, I mean...how?” Finnick seemed to be a bit overwhelmed, waving his arms about, his jaw slack and open as he stared in surprise. 

“They let me go, you know, cuz of my good behavior.” He cockily smirked, rolling his head to crack his neck a bit. He was still pretty sore from all the beatings now that he had time to relax. 

“Yeah right! No one just gets “let go” from the palace dungeons.” Finnick was staring still in utter shock at Nick. He had never expected to see his friend again after all. 

“It’s actually a long story.” Nick took a seat in the chair in front of Finnick’s desk, of whom was still standing on it.

“I bet. You look like you’ve been through some shit.” He took note of Nick’s matted fur and blood shot eyes. He looked a mess. 

“So I keep hearing. Do you know what my house looks like? A hot bath would be really nice right about now.” Despite his cold water rub down this morning his skin still felt itchy.  

“About as bad as you look. The guards tore it apart, no idea why or what they were looking for. Probably best if you just stay here for a while.”

“Thanks, I appreciate that.” Nick leaned back in the chair, stretching out his legs. “So , how's business?” He smiled at Finnick, eyeing him down the length of his nose. 

“How’s business!? Nick! You’ve been gone! My best man off the jobs! I got a fat stack of requests and no one to do em’. I had to rely on Weaselton! Weaselton! That useless weasel keeps botching nearly every job I give him! He couldn’t steal the coin purse off a blind mammal’s table! And get this! Get this! That fucking weasel keeps bring me crystal balls...made of GLASS! GLASS! I can’t sell that fake ass shit!” Finnick was now yelling at the top of his lungs, grabbing his own ears in frustration. 

The way things worked in Finnick’s shop were as such; Finnick either gave you an assignment, or he was given one by a customer which he then dealt out to one of his underlings. Nick, being his best, was always given the hardest jobs. The harder the job the more it was worth. Nick had a reputation for being the best, so often so that he was requested by name. Finnick also dealt in smuggling stolen goods to different shops in the city, or other cities entirely, even across the border to Mystopolica. It was a rather large operation, but it all came down to what Finnick could get his paws on. 

He actually owed Finnick a lot. Finnick had recruited Nick from off the streets after he had run away from the orphanage, he was around nine at the time. Finnick had several younglings working for him, said the little ones made great pick-pockets. From there Finnick had taught him all he needed to learn all to survive. 

“Sounds tough. Well, go ahead and give me the stack. I’ll work my way through them if there are any good ones still worth doing.” He chuckled a bit, his confidence showing a bit thought all the shit he must have looked like. Finnick gave him a long hard look before sitting back down in his chair, and the silence that grew then caused Nick to show some concern. 

“I don’t know Nick. That last request got you locked up. I really thought you were dead…what happened to you Nick? I need to know before I send you off again.” The expression that Finnick wore was out of place to see. He had never seen Finnick look so genuinely sad. Nick straightened up in his chair, folding his paws over in his lap. 

“I don’t know if you’ll believe me.” 

“Why wouldn’t I?”

“Because it’s pretty unbelievable.” 

“Try me.” 

With a heavy sigh Nick launched into his story. He started from the begining with breaking into the mage tower, running from the guards, and getting captured by the bunny knight. He didn’t leave a single detail out, describing the beatings and the accusations he had suffered. He recounted for Finnick how he met the Queen. When Finnick asked if she was as beautiful as they say, Nick went to great lengths to emphasize her outer loveliness; much to Finnick’s delight. He hid nothing, not even what Queen Natia had told him about the origins of his necklace. He divulged everything leading up to the throne room.

“Accused of trying to murder the Queen!” Finnick shouted, banging his fists on the desk. “That’s bullshit!” 

“I know, but get this…”

He went into the details about the story that Queen Natia had told him, about the legendary mage, Saphielle. Relieving the facts about her connection to Dostringar and her deep roots in the Fangmar household. He began telling Finnick about the stone, which sounded even more unbelievable when he retold it outloud. He could see on Finnick’s face that he wasn't convinced. Nick struck Finnick with a serious look when he brought up the necklace once more. He gripped it in his paw, feeling the warmth of his connection to it. 

“Are you serious....you actually believe that?” FInnick raised an eyebrow at him.

“I didn’t at first, but then they proved it to me...Saphielle proved it too.” 

“Saphielle? The mage stuck inside the heart stone? Whose antique necklace you’ve been wearing around your neck all these years. You expect me to believe you’re the grandsomething of some all powerful mage...WHO IS LIVING...INSIDE...A ROCK?” Finnick’s eyes were as big as dinner plates as he stared Nick down. “How the hell did she prove it to you from in there Nick, tell me!” 

“Because Arisa stabbed me with a dagger after chanting some mumbo jumbo ok! She stabbed me and unlocked...unlocked Saphielle’s magic from inside me.” Nick stood, rolled up his sleeve, and presented his paw for Finnick to see the scar. “After the magic was unlocked, Saphielle’s spirit materialized right in front of me. I saw her Finnick!”

“Nick…they fucking stabbed you in the paw!” Finnick slammed his paws down on the desk. 

“Finnick! I have magic now! It’s all true! I can feel it!” Nick was getting exasperated, trying to convince any mammal of this was a lot harder than he had imagined it would be. 

“Y-you’re telling me you have magic? YOU! Hahaha!” Letting out a loud cackling laugh Finnick fell back into his chair, grabbing his stomach in fits of hysterical laughter. “You! A mage!”

Nick gritted his teeth in frustration, letting out a low growl. He felt heat rising to the surface of his skin. Staring down at his now clenched fists, all he could hear was Finnick’s howling laughter in his ears.  

“It’s true!” Standing abruptly Nick shouted and brought his fists down onto the desk. As soon as Nick’s paws hit the table the glass balls that had been piled in a crate by the desk burst into shards. Bottles on shelves began to shatter one after another. The candle on Finnick’s desk sprang to life, it’s flame climbing high enough to reach the ceiling. Books, objects, bottles, stacks of paper, all of it flew off of their shelves. It all happened so suddenly, but then nothing, just a quick burst of chaos followed with calmness. Pages fluttered in the air and landed on the ground and the candle dimmed down to normal. 

Nick gasped, unclenching his fists, and began to look about wildly. The room was a mess of broken glass and scattered objects. 

Finnick’s claws were dug into his plush chair as he stared bewildered at Nick. He could hardly believe what he had just seen, but the mess to his office caught his attention more. 

“Marian's ass Nick!” Finnick jumped to his feet, standing up in his chair. “What the heck was that?! So you getting this magic shit was true, didn’t have to prove it by blowing stuff up…!” Finnick continued to rant, obviously more concerned about the state of his office. 

“I didn’t do it on purpose, I don’t know how I did that…” His sentence trailed off, more a mumble to himself as he stared down at his paws, the light grey scar clearly visible. To think he could now do something like this without even meaning to, it was as fascinating as it was frightening. He had been so preoccupied with getting out of the palace, away from those mammals he hadn’t thought too deeply on what he now had inside him. Surveying the damage he had caused, Nick was shocked at what he had done. It seemed such a violent reaction for having slammed his fists. Made him wonder of what he was truly capable of now. 

“...and I'll be damned if you ain't paying for it all!” Finnick fell back into the chair as he calmed down. Crossing his arms over his chest he stared at Nick for a hard minute. His friend hadn’t moved hardly an inch. He watched Nick look around the room, then stare down at his paws. Realization of what this all meant really beginning to sink in. Finnick huffed, looking up at the ceiling as he scratched behind his ear. “Tsk, so it’s all true, huh. Magic, I’ll be damned.” 

Nick nodded somberly. “Yeah. Sorry Fin, it's just…all of this...” Nick waved his arms around to gesture the mess he made. “...I don’t...it’s all…strange...” He recalled what he had seen in the throne room, this and that, connected by what was in him. Magic, he really did now have magic that he could actually use to do unbelievable things. 

Finnick leaned back, observing Nick; ears flat, distant eyes, tail limp, struggling with words. He hadn't seen Nick like this since the day he’d found him. He knew he couldn't let this continue,it was just down right sad. Finnick climbed onto the desk and walked over to stand into front of where Nick stood, still waving his arms around like an airhead.

~SMACK!~ 

“Pull yourself together Nicky!” Finnick grabbed two fist fulls of Nick’s shirt and shook him as hard as he could. “So you got magic, your ancestors magic or whatever, and she’s...stuck in a rock. You’re a mage now!” He gripped Nick’s necklace and yanked it a bit. “But you’re still you!” He poked Nick hard in the chest, just over his heart. “Ain't nothing going to change you.”  

Nick reached a paw up to his cheek where the smaller fox had slapped him, rubbing it gently to get rid of the sting. It had been a long time since his friend had had to give him a much needed slap in the face. So much had happened today and if Finnick hadn’t been here for him Nick probably would have gotten lost in the emotion of it all. He chuckled, “Thanks Fin”. 

The fennec returned the chuckle, letting go of Nick with a small smile. 

“You start dragging your tail again, I'll happily slap you anytime. Now!” He hopped off the desk and picked a broom up off the floor. “Let's get this place cleaned back up. Here, catch!” He tossed the room to Nick. 

He caught the broom and started sweeping up the broken glass as Finnick started picking up the paper scattered about the room.

 

~~~

 

After Nick had left the throne room every mammal present erupted into conversation. Even the Blessed Knights whispered amongst each other about what they had just bore witness too. It created a feeling of excitement throughout the air. For Judy though, staring through the crowd, eyes locked on the door, it left her with a hard lump in her chest. 

There was an overwhelming conflict building up inside her that made her heart race. Her mouth parted as she breathed heavy and her nose wouldn’t stop twitching. Her anger at him was still present, but just above that, riding under the surface of her skin, was the warmth of Nick’s magic. It had almost been like an embrace which left her skin warm and heart torn. Each time she took a deep breath, trying to calm herself, it was let out as an exhausted sigh. Too much had happened, but she didn’t have time to process it all. Instead she pushed it all away, doing her best to keep her face calm as she reminded herself there was much to talk about now. 

They were dismissed soon after, with the Queen retiring to her private chambers, refusing to speak with any of them.

“Tomorrow, Captain, that is all.” It would seem that Queen Natia was just as in need for privacy as Judy felt. 

Judy had been left alone with Lieutenant Bogo, and the other Blessed Kights, and the entourage of spectators. With the Queen gone the throne room became even more lively, now that they felt free to speak. Judy and Arisa were rushed with questions, it was a frustrating task clearing them all out. The rest of the day felt like a mess, patrols were ordered, and a report to write; and even with the sun now long gone Judy did her best to remain collected and absent from her varied emotions. 

They were now in the Blessed Knights housing quarters, a building just off of the main castle, separate and tucked away for privacy. Here each of the Blessed Knights had their own bed chamber, special made and detailed for each species. There was also a communal bathing area, a kitchen, and the Knights had their own training grounds. The building was in a giant dome shape, with the center being a large living space where they could relax with plenty of couches, chairs, and tables. It felt like home, for many of them it was, having been away from theirs for so long. Here they could usually let their fur loose and just be friends, but each of them had mixed feelings about what they had witnessed. 

“To think such strong magic comes from such an unexpected person.” Gazelle, a wind mage, slid gracefully down onto a couch. 

“I can see why the Queen called us back to the capital, this could have gone very badly.” Bjorn, a large grizzly bear, stood just behind the crouch with his arms crossed over his chest. He wasn’t as trusting as some of them and was suspicious of anything new. 

The twelve Blessed Knights often were gone for months on end out of Animalia. They spent a great deal of time patrolling the border between Furosie and Dostringar, each with a small company of regular Knights. Their duty was to survey for threats and dispose of any enemies that happened to sneak across the border. When they weren’t doing that the Blessed Knights traveled alone across the country; visiting other cities, small towns, and villages along their way. Their presence served as a reminder of Queen Natia’s rule and that her protection spread throughout her country to every mammal big or small. A Blessed Knight was seen as a keeper of the peace and were often called upon to settle disputes in smaller villages where law keepers weren’t present. A Blessed Knight’s authority was held up as good as if they were the Queen’s own words. 

It wasn’t uncommon for a Blessed Knight to travel the roads in secret. To only reveal themselves as Blessed Knights when the need arose. This allowed them to truly see what life was like outside of Queen Natia’s eyes and ears. Gazelle herself traveled as a bard, singing in taverns; only to pick up gossip from happy drunken mammals after her songs had lulled them into looser muzzles. All of them had characters they liked to play, it allowed them to feel normal again. Therefore they each had varying experiences and outlooks on life that influenced their opinions. 

They spent so long away from Animalia that it was rare for them all to be in the same room. Out in the field it was common to run into one another, but Judy and Bogo rarely left the capital so often their friends would come back a little different than before. It was nice to see her comrades again, if only for a short while; but there was a heavy feeling in the air now that made them all a little uneasy. It made speaking blunty difficult for some. 

“I felt it was necessary, there was no telling what could have happened when Arisa awakened his magic. Natia insisted it had to be done, so I took what precautions I felt were required.” Judy crossed her arms over her chest, she stood just apart of the rest, who had all made themselves comfortable among the furniture. While they were friends, family, Judy had a duty as Captain to set them all straight. They didn’t have to like her methods, but they did have to respect that she knew what was best. As they were all strong, proud Knights, relenting to their superior wasn’t always easy. 

“And that meant gathering every Blessed Knight into one room to restrain a tiny fox if his magic went out of control or turned out to be dark, got it.” Saffrin, a cheetah, jumped over the back of the couch and settled next to Gazelle. “You seem to be overly cautious about this one Judy. Were you worried you couldn’t handle him?” She grinned at Judy, but her tone was mocking. Saffrin was older, and had been a Blessed longer; she wasn’t one to just let things go easily. 

“Ohh, she can handle him alright, didn’t you see him?”  Belathar, a caribou, leaned forward in his seat. He smirked a bit, but his tone was serious as he stared at Judy. 

“That poor mammal looked exhausted, I can only imagine what became of him locked away under your guard.” Gazelle tsked at Judy, her eyes looking sympathetic as she shook her head.

“Are you questioning your Captain's actions?” Bogo stepped forward now, raising an eyebrow at them. 

“Only her interrogation methods. Everyone here knows how she loses her cool over anything concerning our Queen’s safety. Nick didn’t stand a chance.” Saffrin snickered, resting her chin on Gazelle’s shoulder. Several of the other Blessed Knight’s giggled as well, but Judy failed to see what was so funny. 

Without saying a word Bogo materialized a large battle axe into his hoof. It was stored with magical enchantment inside his gauntlet so it could be called upon whenever needed. The light from the magic flashed electric blue, catching everyone’s attention. Bringing the hilt down hard against the marble floor it made a thunderous sound that caused everyone, besides Judy, to jump in their skin. The action wasn’t meant as a threat, but to gather their attention and remind them of the seriousness of their discussion. Even in the comforts of their home it was disrespectful to questions Judy’s actions aloud. There was a long pause of silence as Judy scanned the room. 

“He’s a thief and a criminal, or have you all forgotten that?” Judy started and there was a noticeable avoidance in their gazes as some tried not look at her, sheepish in their embarrassment for joking about such a grievous matter. “Nick Wilde broke into the palace, got into the Mage Tower, and stole the Heart Stone. If he could do all that whose to say he couldn’t have made it into the inner castle, or dare to say the Queen’s Chambers? If he had been an assassin this all could have been much worse.” Judy paused, fixing a stern gaze on her silent companions. None of them met her eyes now. “Let’s not forget our country has a target on her back. Are we such young Knights who would be foolish to think our Queen will always be safe? Spies are everywhere these days and I will die before I let anyone get near Natia. So yes, I see every intruder as a threat and they will be treated as such. My sword will not stay idle in the face of justice for the wrongs that has been committed.” 

The room was so silent you could hear the heavy sighs that escaped through pursed muzzles. Spies were indeed everywhere these days, that wasn’t anything new, but when they were found close to the Queen was when things went bad. Since Judy’s promotion as Captain two years ago there had been a crack down on weeding them out. It had come as a surprise at how many of the palace servants and guards had been among them. It caused Judy to be suspicious of everyone new now who came through the palace gates. Assassins were not a joking matter either, on the rare occasion there was an attempt no one slept well for months after. The predicament Nick Wilde had put himself in didn’t look good for him, at the time. To have gotten so close, it was no wonder Judy had been on edge, her Queen’s safety was worth everything to her. 

Gazelle was the one to finally break the awkward silence that had begun to fill the room with suffocating air. 

“His magic was very warm, and yet I felt a sadness in it.” Gazelle looked to Judy, having magic of her own she was able to read it better than a normal knight. She had felt something deeper than the comfortable light that had washed over the rest of them. Nick’s core had felt distant, like a lost child. “There wasn’t a single trace of hostility, even after all he had been through.” 

“That doesn't change what he did, only how we deal with him going forward.” Judy looked at them all, meeting each of their eyes one at a time. She knew full well the range of differences among them. Two of them were mages, some had bad experiences with magic, others lived by steel and bravery, some came from humble beginnings, and other’s nobel by birth. Fourteen of them in all and they could never all agree on anything...except one thing... Queen Natia’s safety always came first. 

“I’m sure you all gave instructions to your seconds to continue your patrols and stay on the border paths. Given the events of today and the attempt to steal the Heart Stone, we can assume that Dostringar’s ruler is up to something. Until we decide any future actions with Nick Wilde, I want you all to stay here and protect Animalia.” 

“Captain.” Gazelle stood from the couch and placed her fist over her heart. The rest copied her, showing their loyalty to their leader. Looking at them all, dressed in full shining armor, their expressions hard, eyes resolved to protect and serve, whatever that meant. Judy was proud of them all and she let out the heavy sigh she had been holding. Her shoulders went slack as she rested her paw on her hip. 

“Get some rest tonight, I expect to see you all early in the morning for training. I have to make sure none of you have grown soft in the field.” This earned a jostle of laughs from all of them. Suddenly there was relaxation again in the air again. They playful pushed up against one another, bragging about new moves, creating light hearted competition. No one liked to look weak in front of the Captain. They were all sure to show off their best moves come dawn. 

Judy shook her head and slipped away first, retiring to her quarters, she needed time to herself to go over the days events. Once the door was closed Judy leaned against the back of the it. Her eyes shut as big heavy breathes escaped through her nose.Iit was a relief to finally be alone. 

She reached a paw upwards to gently touch a small sapphire on her breast plate. It glowed a soft blue, activating the same way Bogo’s axe did. Her armor faded away, melting back inside the crystal until she needed it again. In its place the sapphire now hung on a ornate silver necklace. Each Blessed Knight used these magical items to store their weapons and armor. Judy’s sword was stored in a small purple golden ring on her paw. Now she was dressed in a simple under shirt and breeches. 

Her quarters consisted of two rooms; in one room was a bed, chest for storing equipment, a small wardrobe, and a desk. The other room was more for relaxing with a couch, chair, fireplace, a bookshelf, a few odds and ends from home. It still had the feel of palace luxury with the beautiful molding on the walls, but it was homely with it’s own charm.  

Sitting herself at the desk, she pulled a journal from the top desk draw, along with a quill and ink pot. It had become a habit since she had left Bunny Borrow to write in a journal every night, even when she had done her field training. Tonight as she held the inked quill over the yellow parchment paper, her paw hesitated; it was as if she didn’t know where to start. All day she hadn’t been alone with her own thoughts, until now; sitting in the deafening silence of her own room, she was drawing a blank. Judy glared down at her journal until the ink on her quill went dry. 

“I need a drink.” She pushed her chair away from the desk and walked briskly to the other room. Opening a cabinet she pulled out a medium sized glass and a wine bottle. From here she was close enough to the door to hear the laughter coming from the shared living space. It had been a long time since they had been able to socialize so freely. During their training they had all come to be close enough to call one another family. Since being promoted to Captain though, Judy felt a slight detachment from the rest of them. She felt guarded, unable to make mistakes; and yet, in the truthfulness she only gave her heart, she felt she had made so many recently. Judy slammed the cabinet shut. 

Pouring herself a generous amount she walked over to her balcony door. Opening it, the the cool night air gently ruffled the fur on her cheeks and cooled her chest as she breathed in the midnight breeze. The sky was clear of clouds and the full moon bathed everything in it’s beautiful soft light. Each star in the night’s sky twinkled with a brilliance that only a star could. She sat the wine bottle on a little glass table nearby and took up the chair next to it. Here she sat for a long while, contemplating the days events. 

 

~~~

 

Nick rubbed a towel behind his ear. The hot bath had done his body a world of good, he was actually starting to feel like a normal mammal again. Finnick was putting him up in a guest room above the shop. It was a small simple room, but it had a warm bed and that was all he really needed. The events of the day had caught up with him in the bath, having almost fallen asleep in the warm water. He wasted no time in shrugging on a clean pair of pants before his fur was fully dry, and blowing out the candle on the nightstand. 

Lying in bed, sleep came and went. Just when he had fallen into sleep’s embrace, a sound from the world outside would bring him back awake with a start. Having had nothing but a straw pile on a cold floor until recently made his bed feel too soft. The noises from drunkards on the street made his room seem too loud. Everything startled him awake and soon it became impossible to fall back into a relaxed enough state to shut his eyes. 

“So be it.” Nick rolled over onto his back and stared up at the ceiling. His eyes had adjusted to the darkness and now everything was bright, lit up by the moon and  her twinkling stars. Nick lifted his paw and titled it into the light. It made the grey scar shine on his black paw pad. It was hard to believe that it was still the same day. After his outburst in Finnick’s office there had been a couple more times where something strange would happen. Laughing too hard had caused a picture on the wall to fall and shatter, raised his voice too loud out of frustration had made the bath water boil. It seemed he would have to be very careful from now on. He brought his paw down to run a digit over his necklace. The stone always felt warm now and it’s weight filled him with with a foreign sense of completeness. Despite all the newness of it all, somehow his insides had begun to feel right. Like for the first time in forever he was exactly who he needed to be. All his life he has struggled with what he wanted to do. After losing his parents and being sent off to an opranged, of which he had had no say in, he never knew what he want would be available to him. Finnick had set him up with the skills to earn a living, but beyond that he had never really thought much about what he truly wanted because he had felt that life set him up to fail. These new powers, this magic, it was something new. It was a new direction he could go in and he felt excited to do it. 

“Saphielle…you’ve given me hope.” It was hard to believe it was all true. A name he had never heard until today now forced him into hours of sleepless thought. Who was she really? He wanted to know all about her, wished she was here to guide him. He wore her necklace, possessed her magic, walked in the same halls she had, but knew next to nothing about her. Her name on his tongue filled him with a thrill he couldn’t describe. He wasn’t afraid, nothing inside him felt scary, but he hadn’t a clue where to start sorting it all. He recalled Natia’s words, saying that one day he would be called on for help. 

“Like hell. The castle can fall into the sea for all I care.” The idea made him laugh. He had no intention of going back, but what was he to do now? His couldn’t live with the possibility of losing control of his magic. Sure, at the moment he was just breaking things in the shop, but what if he hurt someone? He couldn’t imagine hurting Finnick or Dharma, but how long would it be till he did? That void feeling in his chest was ever present, swirling with heat inside him. It made him feel unstable. This was his magic, hu? 

~CLICK~ 

Nick jumped at the sound of something hard hitting the glass window. He sat up, staring at the window for a while, but then it came again. This time Nick leaped out of bed, running to see whatever it was. He grasped the wooden seal as he looked out onto the street. There wasn’t a soul insight, but the hairs on the back of his neck stood up and his tail bristled. Something inside of him told him that he was being watched. He slowly opened the window, as he did a paper fluttered into the room, falling at his feet. 

“What the…” Cautiously he picked it up, giving the parchment a bit of a sniff. “Smells...like a dog.” He unfolded the paper and found scribbled out words,

**_‘For what a stone was worth, you now possess. We’ll come to take what has been promised.’_ ** He read the words several times over, their meaning sending a chill down his spine. 

He didn’t get any more sleep that night, worry racing through him now that he knew he was being watched by Goddess knows who. Nick had taken their the money, but they never received the goods. He knew deals like this never ended well. He had nearly forgotten about it since it felt like so long ago. With no way to contact the buyer, they would come for him...and now he knew they were agents from Dostringar. 

 

~~~

 

As the laughter in the common room died, the moon had moved across the sky and the embers in the fireplace glowed with the dying of it’s flames. With half the bottle gone Judy sat with her knees pulled up to her chest and a blanket over her shoulders. Cheek pressed to her knee, she sat there in the silence that only the night could provide. 

The wine helped her thoughts to relax and focus on the things she hadn't been able to think about for the last two months. She had been so focused on Nick being a criminal she hadn’t thought about anything else. Today all that had come to an ending of sorts. Now they knew the truth, he was a descendant of Saphielle. 

“Doesn’t change the fact that he’s a thief with a reputation a mile long.” She pouted her cheek at bit in annoyance. She had no regrets on how she had treated him up till now, her problems lay with where she went from here. How did she make amends for the wounds that she had cast upon him? Surely all his anger lay with her. To her loyal Blessed Knight’s she had defended her actions, but in her heart she ached with worry, now that the wine gave her that ability. 

She grabbed her ankles, leaning back in her chair to look up at the sky. She recalled that weightless feeling she had experienced, running her paws through Nick’s beautiful waves of magic. All her fears and insecurities had been stripped away in those moments, leaving only that pleasure of being raw with delight. It had taken her back to her days as a regular Blessed Knight, before being made Captain. Back then she had complete and utter confidence in her abilities. No one looked up to her, no one counted on her to make the right calls, all she had to do was fight. Trust in her training, her sword, her own strength of body and will, and rely on her comrades to have her back. 

Here in the night as she sat there bathed in moonglow, pondering her own feelings, she found herself to be a stranger. A huge sigh escaped her as she let her mind wander into territory within her heart she usually pushed away. Gripping her arms she tried to hold onto the warmth that Nick’s magic had left just under her skin. She ran her paws up her arms to her neck, then her cheeks. It sent shivers up her spine as she rolled her head back, closing her eyes, and recalled  that tender feeling of happiness that rested in the space just above her heart. 

Searching inside herself for how she really felt tiny bits of fear crept to the surface, along with sadness and empathy; all the feelings Gazelle had sensed living beyond the warmth of Nick’s raw potential as a mage. Judy found herself in the position of having to someday rely and put trust into the mammal she had beat and tortured. The push and pull of friend and foe would be a great hurdle to overcome alongside her feelings for Natia. To hold Nick’s paw in her’s for Queen and country...she didn’t know if she could do that.

Judy placed her paws around her neck, fluttering her large purple eyes open and letting them be wide and soak up the beauty of the night. To be as bare and naked as the moon with her emotions felt like such a daunting task, and yet, the passion to be free and wild she had forgotten. Left discarded on the floor to adapt the cool control of a Captain and yet Nick had shattered that in an instant. Now his power stirred her up inside and made standing still impossible. She lightly squeezed her neck to feel the pressure, gain control of herself, but instead she felt like screaming. 

  
  



	6. The Choices We Make

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I really hope you all liked the maps! They should make navigating the city, world, and Nick's comings and going easier. Again, I apologize for the lateness, but I do hope the length of this chapter makes up for that. Enjoy! 
> 
> Let me know in the comment section if you can pick out the other Disney characters I've added! :) 
> 
> Big shout out to Tandiian for becoming my beta reader! They have been a huge help to me throughout the progress of this chapter!

 A Mage’s Heart

Chapter five: The choices we make

 

The sun bore down a blazing heat onto the field, baking the dirt beneath the mammals below. Dusty clouds of earth swirled through the air as paws and hooves scraped across the ground. The sound of metal echoed across the near empty space as mammals swung steel training weapons at one another. Despite the fact that they were just sparring, each strike was made with purpose; as though to end the others life. Snarls and yelps were made through gritted teeth as metal connected against metal; causing ears to ring with each strike that rounded on another’s helmet. Their bodies were becoming bruised from mistakes that lent to learning; that if made with sharpened steel would have been the end of them. 

Each Blessed Knight specialized in a different weapon, which they carried on them in the form of a magical object such as a ring or bracelet. That weapon, when produced, harnessed their powers. For Judy it was her sword, and for Bogo his axe. Their group had a wide range of diverse weaponry and skills. To keep themselves proficient they practiced with a training version of their respective weapon. It made for interesting match ups, forcing each other to be creative in their approaches, having only their physical strength and skills to rely on. 

Blessed Knights were regarded as extraordinary warriors for their ability to use the blessed power from the tree of light. When blessed powers are called upon by their host, it manifests in the form of blue magic to deliver powerful magical strikes. The magic is strong, and more than enough to vanquish corruption and evil, but calling upon it uses up a huge amount of energy. Judy didn’t want the Blessed Knights relying too much on that power. It was better to hone their skills and their bodies. By doing so, her hope was to make their movements and mind sharp to battle without having to use that power. 

Judy watched, standing just outside that training ground, a steel sword resting just over her shoulder, eyes narrowed in concentration as she observed their practice. She had a good eye for seeing where they left themselves open, or where they missed valuable opportunities to strike. Her Knights had amazing form, but sometimes the road made them soft and so these practice sessions were a necessity. It was also, for some, a good time to show off any new moves that they may have learned. 

A trickle of sweat beaded up on her brow, coming to a break point before rolling down through her fur. They’d been at it since before the sun had risen, now nearing high noon, many of them looked like they were about to drop. They all sported dampened fur and were breathing heavily, but none dared to call it quits before their captain's orders. Bogo stood in the middle of them all, his large arms crossed over his massive chest. He studied each of them just as critically as she did, shouting at them when they fell on their asses. Often Judy or Bogo would direct them to swap partners if they saw a better match to be had, or a more challenging skirmish. This way it kept them on their toes, never allowing them to get too cocky when they were winning. 

Currently before Judy were Saffrin and Ramsey, they were working at paw to hoof combat. A fighting style just as important as wielding a weapon was. Ramsey, a mountain ram, was well built with hard stone muscles, sporting large rounded horns on either side of his head. His skills and experience as a seasoned warrior made him a powerful opponent for anyone. He also had the advantage of being the only Blessed Knight to not brandish a weapon. Ramsey fought with his hooves, preferring to use his massive strength and size to his advantage. During actual combat his blessed weapon of choice were gauntlets to which he channeled his blessed powers through to deliver devastating punches. Saffrin, a young cheetah, was usually a dual daggers fighter, and relied on her speed and agility. She had Ramsey beat on speed, but one false move and…Saffrin dodged a punch aimed for her shoulder. She slid across the dirt, body hunched down low to the ground. Just as quickly Ramsey ducked low to match her, his fist striking her square in the chest to send her flying backwards. It was skill and experience that had allowed Ramsey to become adept at reading his opponent's movements. Well, that, coupled with Saffrin’s young and predictable nature.

Saffrin was sent tumbling into the dirt next to Judy, and not gracefully either. 

“Thought cats always land on their feet?” Judy bounced her sword on her shoulder a few times, smirking down at the pride rumpled Saffrin.

“Sorry to disappoint you.” She spoke through gritted teeth, ears pinned back, her long tail swishing in agitation behind her. Saffrin was the youngest amongst them, she had the talent, but lacked the judgment in her decisions. She was still under the care of Gazelle while out on the road and had yet to taste real battle, thieves and bandits excluded. Despite them having Knight training, each new Blessed Knight still had to be mentored for a year in the field. Knights and Blessed Knights had different roles to play after all. 

“You underestimate his speed because of his bulky size. If you don’t learn to look beyond the obvious you’ll keep falling on your ass.” 

“An old ram shouldn’t be that fast.” Saffrin winced, rubbing her chest, it was sure to become bruised. 

“I’m not that old, you’re just slow.” Ramsey, extended his hoof to her, a smirk on his mouth. 

“I highly doubt that.” She did an eye roll with her whole head. 

“You’ll catch up to me eventually.” Saffrin let out a snicker as Ramsey lifted her, any lingering irritation she may have had left. 

“Keep talking old man, I’ll get you next time, just you wait and see.” She jabbed him with her elbow a couple of times, a toothy grin on her round face. There were no hard feelings left between them. In the past Saffrin would have gritted her teeth and scowled in bitter defeat. Now she took things in better stride, realizing that they all had room to improve. No one left anyone behind; they were a family who had each other's backs. 

At this point Bogo and a few of the others had come over to watch. It was now past lunch and the eagerness to call it quits for the day was plain to see on all their faces. She smiled at them, folding a hand over on her hip and raising her sword back over her shoulder. 

“How about we call it a day, hmmm? Everyone go wash up and head to the mess hall. Ask Cook to give you all a little extra since I made you skip breakfast.” All of them let out sighs of relief, the posture of their bodies becoming loose, groaning out their soreness. Each of them eager to wash away the grime off their coats. Despite the weariness of the group, field clean up was quick, doing their best to be done before Judy could change her mind. 

After the rest of the knights were gone Judy and Bogo hung back, retreating to the shade of a large tree. There was a silent understanding between them that something was weighing heavily on both their minds. 

“They’ve stayed sharp, don’t you agree.” Bogo huffed a bit in pride, feeling responsible for their excellent training. He gave a crooked smile down at Judy, arms crossed over his chest. 

“They have…” There was apprehension in her voice, as though she wanted to say more. Instead she leaned back against the tree and moved her foot over a bit of dead grass, not looking up. 

“Buuut? I can tell that you’re holding something back.” He raised an eyebrow down at her. 

“...I just feel uneasy...things seem far too laid back these days, I want everyone focused on their duties. We need to be prepared for anything.” She held herself still as she spoke, continuing to stare at the ground. The words out loud sounded overly cautious, even for her. She knew she would be coming across as unreasonable. 

“You’re still thinking about that thief aren’t you?” It was easy to read between the lines, despite herself she was giving it all away. Her unwillingness to even acknowledge him told him everything he needed to know. “You need to let it go. It’s been four days since he was set free. Her Majesty gave us strict orders to follow and your--.” He was cut short by her stammering to get him to stop talking.  

“I know, I know...it’s just…” A tiny voice came calling then from across the field, stopping their conversation short. 

 

**“Captain Hopps!!!”**

 

They were interrupted by a small grey mouse scurrying towards them. His small body, shrouded in black, looked like a moving shadow over the dirt. Judy leaned down so he could climb onto her paw. Once settled she lifted him up so they were face to face. His little body shook as he breathed in gasps for air. He was named Bernard and he was part of their spy group. Mice like him were perfect for getting into places unnoticed. He was dressed in simple black leathers, with a hood drawn over his face, large grey ears poked through the slits atop it. 

“You have news for me?” She side glanced up at Bogo, he looked annoyed with her, having had more to say on their earlier topic. Still, he was now very interested in this new turn of events. He and Judy, while apart from the spies, still worked closely with them for palace security. However, these new developments were not known to him. Though Judy seemed unphased, almost expectant. 

“I do, Captain. We’ve located Nicholas Wilde as you requested.” 

“Where?” 

“We’ve tracked him to the Golden Paw Pawn, in the third circle district, east side.” 

“Finnick the smuggler owns that store, go figure.” Bogo stated the comment more to himself than the group, seeming having put two and two together. Finnick was the best smuggler in Furosie and Nick had a reputation that matched. It would only make sense that the two were working together, perhaps even friends. 

“Our intel would suggest they’re well acquainted, yes.” Bernard looked up at Bogo a bit from under his hood. 

“I can’t believe it’s taken us this long to find him, how could we not have known about this?” She placed a hand on her hip, shaking her head with pinched eyes. “I told you we should’ve shut down that no good little fox a long time ago.” 

“And if we did that someone would just take his place, someone worse. He doesn’t do anything more than stolen goods. We already have spies that keep up with his dealings, no reports of animal trafficking or drugs. The capital will always have smugglers, better to let the lesser evils go.” Judy opened her mouth for a retort, but decided against it. It was a conversation for another day. 

“We’ve always known about Nick, but he’s the cautious type whose aware when he’s being followed, even by us. It’s always been tough to keep tabs on his comings and goings.” Bernard began to nervously tap his digits together. 

“I’m not blaming you Bernard, any of you. Now we know, and that counts for everything right now. Thank you all for working so hard these last few days.” She at least knew where he was now, which was a huge weight off her shoulders. 

“Thank you Captain.” He breathed a sigh of relief. “Spy Master Bianca requests to be advised if she should be sending a report to her Majesty?” Bernard, head tilted up to look under the edge of his hood, twitched his nose about in even further uneasiness. He saw Captain Judy hesitate, mouth pursed shut in thought.

“No.”

“Captain?” Bogo’s face looked beyond concerned here, not liking where this was going. 

“I’ll be the one to inform her. For now please tell me everything you’ve witnessed since finding him. I want full details, don’t leave anything out. As of right now...I’m doing this off record.”

“Yes Captain.” Bernard bowed his head in understanding as Bogo clung to every word.

 

~~~

 

“I said no!” Finnick slammed his fist down on the table, Nick was glaring at him hard from the other side. They had been debating this all morning long, Finnick wasn’t budging. “It’s still too dangerous.” He gritted his teeth, almost snarl like. 

“You’ve kept me cooped up in here for too long Finnick. I need to get out, grab some fresh air before I go insane. I mean, come on, it’s been four days.” Nick stretched his arms, rolled his head, all with teeth gritted so tight be felt as though they were about to break.

“You’re not ready! Every day you break more and more shit in my shop! You can’t control your magic! It’s getting worse!”

“I’m fine! I’ve got it under control!” Just as he said it a picture frame flew off the wall and shattered the glass pane all over the floor. Finnick just pointed at it ridgedly with a hard expression on his face while Nick did his best to avoid looking at it. Every day it seemed he was losing more control over this new power inside him; not that he had any control to start with. From exploding vases to fires roaring to life from the long dead embers, that last one had been the worst of it. Even a small outburst of emotion had started to cause significant damage to the space around him. He honestly didn’t know how much more destruction Finnick and Darmah could stand. 

Staying inside though was making him crazy; he truly felt if he could just get some fresh air, things would be better. Having been trapped in a jail for two months he needed to feel free to roam. This confinement was making his skin crawl and his spirit twist. That and...he would never say anything to Finnick, but a discomfort had started to form in his left paw since late last night. It had started as pin pricks, but now it felt like a hot poker. The sensations came and went in waves, but were becoming more frequent as the day wore on. 

“I just need out of this shop for a couple of hours. I’m sure that will do the trick and relax me for a while.” Nick flexed his paw a bet, trying to ease the ache, playing off what just happened. 

“You don’t get it, do you.” Finnick fell back into his chair with a heavy sigh, rubbing the bridge of his nose. He cracked his eyes a bit and fixed Nick with a serious glare. “This isn’t just about your hysteric magical powers. That feeling like you’re being watched, I’ve got it too.” This caught Nick’s attention. He had confided in him about what happened that first night, with the note in his window. Since then he sometimes got the fur rising feeling of being observed, but he could never find the source. 

“What do you mean, exactly.” 

“My spies have been giving me reports about _mice_.” Finnick emphasized the species with just the slightest hint of an amused smirk touching the corners of his mouth. He was very familiar with them as they had been keeping up with his dealings for years. Annoying little rodents they were. 

“Mice?” Nick raised a brow at him, mice usually weren’t a concern for him. Easy enough to avoid when you knew they were there. 

“Ratigan has spotted a couple of those goodie goodie palace mice lurking about around the shop. Probably keeping tabs on you for that bunny knight.”

“Palace mice aren’t anything to be worried over. I’ve been able to dodge them for years.” He brushed it off, rolling his eyes and looking elsewhere. “Anyway, can you really trust Ratigan? He’s a no good thug, even for a rat he isn’t someone I’d believe easily.” 

“I trust who I pay, and I pay for his information. He may he a crooked no good lying scum, but he wouldn’t dare sell me bad info. And those mice are a bigger problem than you think Nick! They probably already know you’re here, know about you not being in control of that magic of yours, and have reported back to the Queen.” 

“Your choice of company aside, I don’t see how this is a problem. It’s not like I’m doing anything.” He slouched back in his chair. Finnick about pulled his ears off in frustration. 

“You’re being watched.” 

“SO!?” 

“So you can’t leave!!!” They seemed to have rounded back to the beginning as Finnick pounded his fist down on the desk. 

They were interrupted by the sound of a bell chime from the store front. Followed by the loud sound of banging and thuds, as if things were being dropped about on the floor above them. Both of Nick and Finnick’s ears flicked about at the irritating sounds, visibly flinching at the resounding crashes that much resembled one of Nick’s magical incidents. The bookcase to the basement was then heard moving aside, which could only mean company was coming.  

~BANG~ 

~THUD~ 

~Bang...bang...bang...bang...bang…~

Something heavy and solid could be heard falling down the stairs. Nick flinched at every impact it made on the wooden staries. A horribly pained groan came from Finnick’s direction, causing Nick to turn and see that Finnick was harshly clawing at his own face; it was as if this sound was causing him physical agony. 

“Nooo, not today...whyyy….” Finnick smacked his head against his desk. When the object came into view it was in the form of a large glass ball rolling across the floor, stopping when it hit Finnick’s desk with a hollow thud, then start to roll back towards the stairs. “WHAT THE FUCK WEASELTON!!!” Finnick leaped onto his desk, wide eyed and immediately pissed, knowing who was causing all of this without even having to see. 

“Look here Boss, I got it figured out this time, trust me, it’s a winner.” Weaselton stumbled into view, arms full of more balls, and a sack thrown over his shoulder. “Ahhh! Nicky, heard you were dead.” Weaselton looked Nick up and down, a toothpick seated on his mouth. He was a weasel, a particularly sleazy one at that, with no redeemable skills to speak of. 

“Ahhh yes, yes, they almost had me, but I heard from a little mousy that you’ve been fucking up, big time, while I was away.” Nick reached out and grabbed the toothpick, popping it between his own teeth.

“Fucking up, ehhhh, I don’t know about that, forget you. Boss, I---” Weaselton pushed past Nick, dropping the heavy glass onto Finnick’s desk, but before he could finish his explanation Finnick cut him off. 

“NO! No Weaselton! I done told you that this shit isn’t worth the cost it takes to make it! I can’t sell this to no one. Take them back where you got em and I do the job I actually gave you!” 

“But Boss, I--” Finnick just made a quick noise, eyes wide as though they were about to pop out of his skull, as he pointed at the door. 

“If you don’t get out of here right now I’m going to give Nick your job.” 

“Ahh I get it, golden foxy is back and you’ll give him all the good jobs. I see how it is, old  Weaselton isn’t good enough to listen to his ideas.” 

“That’s right, you’re starting to get it now.” Nick’s voice was a smooth mocking tone, his face set to a permanent toothy grin as he picked up the glass ball and handed it to Weaselton. 

“Smile now fox boy, but while you were off rotting away in some cell cuz you got caught, I was here! Weaselton!” 

“Yeah yeah yeah, get out of here.” Finnick waved him off before Weaselton had the chance to go into a full blown speech. There was hesitation as he looked from Finnick to Nick, did a few more takes, before fixing a glare at Nick. Nick only waved at him with a confident smirk on his face and a twinkle in his eye, knowing there was no room for a mammal to argue. Weaselton growled a bit, then began to mumble under his breath as he trudged his way back up the stairs. 

“Don’t you dare leave any of those useless things behind!” Finnick howlered after him. 

~DOOR SLAM~

“That usless weasel gives me a fucking headache every time I see him. I swear if I see one more glass ball...I’ll kill him Nicky...I swear it.” 

“This is why you should give me a job. Stop wasting everyone's time relying on Weaselton. I promise, you give me a job tonight and you’ll get paid.” Nick gave a cocky smirk down at his friend as he laid both paws down on the desk. This was it, his way out of this shop. Nothing spoke louder to Finnick than money. Right now they both knew he was right, Nick was the best and Weaselton had just put Finnick over the edge. 

“Fine.” He saw his friend’s face fall as he gave in, but Nick didn’t care. “Just...just be careful, alright?” He reached into his desk and pulled out a small envelope, wax seal broken.

“Always.” He stared at the envelope, so happy he could momentarily forget about the sting in his paw. 

“This is a special request, there’s no other mammal I can entrust this to.”

“I got it, don’t worry, I’ll be as quiet as a mouse.” Nick took the envelope and brought it to his muzzle, winking at Finnick in triumph. 

 

~~~

 

It was a long climb up the spiral mage’s tower to Arisas’ chamber, not a light undertaking, but Judy felt the need to make it. The mage’s tower was named as such because it was in this very tower that Saphielle had lived. Her quarters were at the very top, which had remained untouched since her time, and only entered into when they had need to retrieve her heart stone. Arisa stayed on the floor just below.

When she made it to the landing the harsh scent of spices hit her nose, it caused her face to twist up and then she sneezed; which sent her nose into a series of twitches. It was always like this with Arisa’s quarters, her concoctions caused the whole floor to stink. Bracing herself she made the short walk to Arisa’s atelier.  

The door was already ajar, but Judy still choose to open it slowly. She never knew what she would find on the other side. Today she seemed to be in luck, despite the smell, everything seemed to be at ease. The room was warm, made so by the many candles scattered about on tables and shelves. It was windowless with every inch of wall occupied by a bookshelf or table, save for the fireplace. From the ceiling hung dried herbs and flowers, along with the hanging and interlocking of brightly colored clothes, dyed every shade of a rainbow. It caused the ceiling to look larger than it was, spinning the illusion of a never ending kaleidoscope. Looking about one could see a never ending sea of books on nearly every shelf, side by side with jars of strange ingredients or floating creatures in glowing liquid. Bowls and boxes held riches of spice and material imported from the exotic reaches of Mistopolica. One long table was home to a strange set up of beakers, tubing, and bubbling liquid spinning through it. It was a strange stuffed full room and in the middle was a pedestal with a large, old book resting upon it. 

“I knew you would come today.” The sound of Arisa’s voice scratched through the air, barely heard over the sound of the bubbling cauldron in the fireplace. 

“You always do.” The words were laced with uneasiness as Judy pushed her way inside. There was a pressure against her leg that startled her for a moment. Looking down there was a creature rubbing against her calf. It took her just a moment to recognize it as a Nobgin, a small dragon like animal that was common to Furosie. With four scaly legs and a head like that of one of it’s much larger cousins, they really did look like baby dragons. Nobgins though have a fur mane that starts at their necks and runs down to their tails. They also have fur feathering around their legs and often sport patches of it on their cheeks. Additionally, Nobgins have leathery wings that are much too small to be of any use. Overall, land dwelling creatures that are often times kept as pets, for they were easy to tame. 

“He’s new.” Judy bent over and gave the strange thing a pat. It was big enough to where it’s large head butted against her knee. 

“I acquired him yesterday.” 

“Lonely?” 

“Not really.” She turned, having finished stirring whatever it was in the iron cauldron. Her hood was down, here she didn’t feel the need to hide her face. The fact that Judy rarely saw her with it down was either mostly for Arisa’s dark sense of dramatism, or it had something to do was the large claw marks that decorated her right cheek...who was to say. 

“I hope I’m not bothering you.”

“Not at all, as I said, I saw you coming.” She gave Judy a small smirk. Her face fur was black, peppered with silver and grey above her eyes and on her cheeks, her muzzle though was still perfectly black. Her golden eyes seemed to nearly glow in this dim light. 

“Right.” 

“You came to talk about Nick, correct?”

“Yes, I have some concerns about what to do…”

“Taking a more cautious approach this time are we?” She snickered, holding a bit of her robe up to her muzzle. 

“I know I have to be now, I don’t want to scare him off anymore than he already is. I’ve had our spies track him down, he’s still in the city and so far his magic seems to be only doing minor damage to his direct surroundings, but who knows when that will change.” 

“Soon, probably, the longer he goes without guidance the more his magic will swell within him, then...hehe...boom…” Arisa made a motion with her paws to emphasize the meaning. 

“Don’t say that, any explosion of magic here in the city and innocents could get hurt.” The more she talked the easier it became to get to the root of why she had come here. Judy took a seat in a large cushioned chair before the fire place. Taking a que, Arisa sat in the chair opposite her. 

“Now, I was sure I heard our Queen give you orders to not interfere with him.” 

“I haven’t interfered, I’m keeping an eye on him.” Avoiding eye contact as she spoke, Judy could feel Arisa’s critical gaze on her. 

“Yes yes, but...for what purpose?” 

“You know just as well as I that he is important to Furosie’s future. It’s not just his magic that has me worried. It-it’s strange, don’t you feel it? An agent of Fangmar paid Nick to steal the heart stone, there’s no way they are just going to let him off that easy. He failed. There will be consequences for him. He’ll be in danger. If he dies what then?” Judy felt herself becoming jumbled as she tried to form her words, to stress her worries. With Bogo she had to stay composed, but Arisa allowed her to save face by being someone she had always been able to vent to. Perhaps it was because Arisa herself was odd. 

“Hmm…” Arisa tilted her head up towards the ceiling, an almost pleased look on her face. 

“What’s that look supposed to mean?” She raised an eyebrow at her, her mouth pursed, unamused. She was trying to be honest, but as usual Arisa seemed distracted by something unseen.

“Danger is a vast term in regards to Nicholas Wilde, when is he not in danger? I see it all around him, especially now for your worries are warranted.” 

“Be direct.” 

“You know very well I cannot.” 

“You’re supposed to be a seerer, but you can never tell me anything when it actually matters. Just like…” Judy cut herself short, catching Arisa’s attention. 

“Go on, say it.” Judy felt her face flush in embarrassment at her mistake, her outburst of emotion that she had been keeping to herself. Still, she needed to get it off her chest. 

“The night Wilde broke into the castle, I know you saw it, had to have seem something; but you still refuse to tell me anything. It could have all been avoided, everything! All of it! But every time I ask...you just tell me that the future depends on things remanding _‘untouched’_. I don’t understand what the point of seeing the future is if you can't tell us when our Queen’s safety is at risk.” Her hands were shaking at this point, perhaps out of anger or nervousness.

Arisa had quietly listened, never had Judy called her out on her powers’ pesky rules so directly. “Queen Natia will always be safe, I have promised to tell you otherwise.”

“You have.” Judy bit at her lip a bit. 

“As far as Nicholas Wilde is concerned though, his role is set and I cannot interfere with it. My only duty is to assure our Queen that things are still on the right course.”

“The throne room…” 

“Went just as I had forseen it happening.”

“And...he is in danger? Now?” This made Arisa snort a laugh.

“Always deary!” She threw her head back and let out a louder scratchy laugh. Her Nobgin jumped onto her lap, rubbing its head up against her chin. “His destiny is still a shadow to me in many places, but the end hasn't changed. Don’t worry so much, you’re choices so far have been as they should have always been. You are a bright shining ray of light cast upon the darkness that overshadows this country, but Judy…” Arisa snapped her head up, this time her eyes did glow golden, outshining the fire that crackled alive inside them. “His light is brighter. Your fate strings are already intertwined with his, and you will protect him from harm in the days to come. Side by side you will walk the roads that carve this country into an even greater one.” 

Judy was so startled by her words that she jumped out of her chair so hard it made the legs titter against the stone floor. She felt a pounding in her chest, causing her to breathe heavy. 

“Judy, might I suggest the west harbor, during the witching hours, tonight perhaps.” Arisa smiled, her eyes no longer as frightening. 

“Y-yes…” With that, Judy headed for the door. 

 

~~~

 

As night settled over the city Nick set about preparing for the job Finnick had given him. It was a fairly straight forward request, but it required delicacy, and would not be easy. He needed some things from his home first. To get there Nick had to go to the complete opposite side of the third circle, west side. 

On each side of the city there were harbors, east and west, and you could access them from all three districts. Here in the third circle though was where it stayed the most lively. The west port was the main trading hub for the city because it was adjacent to Mystopolica, who was their main source of export. Even now, so close to midnight, the street was teeming with mammals. While the docks and warehouses where outside the city wall, here within the city it was where the taverns, inns, and merchants quarters were. 

This was all along to the main road that ran through this side, so the lanterns stayed lit long into the night. The air was filled with the laughter of drunkards who paid him no mind. Song and music caught his ears from inside the pubs, with the tickle of alcohol on his nose to match their slurred lyrics. Outside along the streets were groups of ship workers and merchants, some with drink, others who stayed sober to watch their goods. They all ignored him as he moved through the crowd, making his way to the wall’s edge. 

Once he reached the wall, he changed course and headed down along the wall, working his way deep into the third circle. Leaving behind the hustle and bustle of the harbor he found himself wandering into the alleys of broken paths, stumbling into a forgotten place. Back here, snug against the stone wall, was more or less an area made up of closed shops with broken windows. These shops had been too far back to attract any customers therefore they went out of business. Left to rot back there in the dark damp streets that Furosie’s officials forgot about. Mostly the mammals that lived here were poor or sick, orphans and street urchins. The wall in this section was by far the highest, looking up it was hard to see much of anything past the lines of drying laundry. Being here in the darkness, not a lantern was lit, and the only sound being a muffled cough somewhere near, Nick felt very much alone.  

Continuing further in Nick felt his way along the stone wall absentmindedly until his paw touched the side of an abandoned blacksmith’s shop. He smoothed his paw over the familiar old wood and felt a brief flood of warmth inside himself. He had called the attic of this place his for the last ten years. He never knew who it’s owner originally was, but he had claimed it and no one had ever questioned it. This was home. 

Rounding to the back of the shop he walked carefully up a flight of stairs to the second floor. Pushing the door open, which had been left ajar by the guards, he was met with the sound of the door hitting glass. Even without a lantern he could see that what Finnick said had been true enough, the place was a wreck. 

“I think they sacked it just for fun.” He pursed his mouth and scowled at the state of it all. Bed overturned, table hacked apart and broken, glasses thrown from their shelves, Ripped up books and papers littered the floor. “It’s like they didn’t even try to search, tsk tsk, amatures.” Despite the disaster the room was in Nick knew they hadn’t, and would never find anything of value. 

Peering around the room Nick observed the damages. Nothing that couldn’t be fixed or replaced, and he had very little attachment to most material objects. Overall he wasn’t too broken up about it; he would find the time to clean it up another day. It was easy to brush it off with a shrug and a shake of the head at how clueless the palace guards could be, and he chuckled to himself as he shut the door behind him. Kneeling near where the mattress lay, turned on its side and with a giant gash cut down the middle, it’s straw stuffing falling out of it. Even now he found it all very amusing.  

“Like I’d keep anything in there.” As Nick stood up he bullied the ruined mattress back into its place on the bed frame against the far side of the room. Once in place he gently pulled the bed down along the wall to make a small space between the head of the bed and the wall. 

Looking at the wall here it looked like plain old wood, nothing suspicious as first glance. The sight though brought a smile to his face. There on the wall was a very inconspicuous knot, natural and completely normal. It was slightly hollowed out and when Nick hooked it with a digit it was easy to pull out that small section. Inside the wall, was a tiny shelf, large enough for a sack of coins and a small leather bundle. He left the coin purse, took the bundle, and untied his current coin purse and placed inside, adding to the stash.

Once he had what he needed there was no time to waste as he slipped back into the shadowed streets. This time of year the nights were cool so the air felt nice against his fur as he made his way around. There was still the dull ache in his paw, it made the rest of his body feel hotter than usual, so he didn’t mind the chill. His destination was the middle class circle where the merchant guilds were; there he would carry out the job tasked to him. 

Nick pondered over the little piece of paper that was currently shoved in his pocket. The request was written in elegant handwriting using a rich black ink that he would never have been able to afford. As it turned out Finnick had been sitting on this since right after Nick got locked up, unsure what to do with it. Giving it to Weaselton was setting it up for failure, but turning it down wasn’t something he had wanted to do either. This job, well, it was almost personal for mammals such as Nick and Finnick. 

He was headed to the home of Rutherford Claws, a lion, and a tailor by trade of renowned talent. Through his hard work and dedication to providing exceptional pieces to royal and noble mammals alike, Rutherford had worked his way to being the leader of the Tailors Guild. He’s held this respectable position for over seven years now, well known and loved, his customers would call him nothing but friendly and professional. All his work was custom made with nothing but high reviews in court. But…Nick felt his jaw clench as he neared the closest middle circle gate, his mind deep in thought. 

Lately it had come to the attention of a _concerned party_ that Rutherford Claws wasn’t as honest and good a gentle-mammal he appeared to be. As It turned out he was keeping two ledgers of his sales, one with his fake earnings, and another in which he was charging canine species more for his services. The act had Finnick and Nick disgusted, which is why it was hard to just let this one go. 

This wasn’t a common thing that happened, but it also wasn’t completely unheard of. With the Queen of Furosie being feline and the King of Dostringar being canine, there were those in this country that hated canine species on sight. Lumped them in with the evil and corruption that plagued the lands to the east. It was that kind of mindset that had followed mammals like Nick and Finnick all their lives. It was the small things being done, like this Mr. Claws, that kept Nick feeling like he wasn’t accepted. Whoever had asked for this job must have felt the same. To expose injustice, even on this small level, was an admirable thing. 

He was a couple of buildings down from the gate when he decided to start choosing his pawsteps more carefully. Mammals from the outer circle weren’t allowed to pass into the middle without proof of business, after the sunset. Luckily for him there were other ways in. He set out a little bit to the left of the gatehouse, turning up alleys and cutting through small openings in between houses until he came to the wall that separated the two circles. Here a small water runoff gutter ran under the wall with bars allowing the water to run through. There were no lights that reached here and with the city sound asleep he wasn’t worried about peering eyes on him. It hadn’t rained for a while so the ditch was bone dry and was about a foot deep. He hopped down and shuffled his way over to the bars. He knew, having done it himself, that one of the bars was loose. He quietly popped it out of place and slipped easily inside the narrow space. From here he crawled a fair distance before he reached the other side. It was the same here too, one loose bar to slip in and out of place. It was all simple enough to accomplish and he was in. 

Despite only being a wall apart there was a big difference between the two circles. The houses here were nicer, large, and with beautiful architecture that elevated their statues as more wealthy than most mammals. The streets were clean with bushes and trees on the corners, and not a dirt road in sight. Here there were more lamps and patrols on the streets, but when you had the city memorized like the back of your paw they were easy to avoid. He set to working his way along the houses and shops, sure to keep his tail, ears, and every toe in line with the dark cover provided by the buildings. Things weren’t as cluttered together has in the circle below, that meant his timing had to be perfect. With little to no room for error Nick felt his heart pound at the high stakes. 

In the past this would have been treated as a game, a challenge to be won, but for some reason it all left different tonight. It wasn’t the job that seemed to have him on edge, but something else in him now caused his breathing quicken. Here, right now, hidden in the shadow of a house Nick felt a lump form in his throat as light flashed across the stone road and teased the edges of his feet. The rush of nearly being exposed sent a wave of nervous shivers up his spine. It made him feel young and stupid again, all mixed together with the needle pins in his paw. He really needed to calm himself down or this was going to quickly become a botched job and he couldn’t afford to screw this up. 

It was still a long way until he would reach his goal, guild leader homes were built close to the inner circle. Considered only a step down from being actual nobility. It caused Nick to chuckle a little at the irony, being so close but never any hope of gaining that title. Mammals like Rutherford Claws, having worked their way up through the ranks by sheer talent alone, only to be cut off from what they actually wanted. It gave Nick a twisted sense of satisfaction to know that all Rutherford’s hard work was going to see him end here; and pride at knowing he would be the one to do it. 

Rutherford’s home was snuggled a few rows down from the inner circle gates and right on the main road. It was a tall, two story home, painted a royal blue color; the door was an ivory white with a title sign hanging next to it reading off a list of Rutherford’s titles and profession. The home was several rooms wide, with many windows, he just had to find the right one to enter through. The request had only given a vague description of where the ledger was. Nick flexed his paw again, it ached more than this morning. 

The molding on the outside of the house was thick enough so that Nick was able to get a good grip to climb. Scaling the house was fairly simple, the roof was a good textured tile that allowed him a steady grip. Looking around he found a small window that let out into a hall, it was perfect, hidden in shadow and concealed from the street, but locked. 

Crouching there Nick dug for the small leather bundle he had procured earlier. Rolling it out revealed a set of ornate lock picking tools, each in their own little slot. They had been a gift from Finnick when he was promoted from pickpocket to an actual reliable member of his business. He slid one out that was nearly paper thin with a hook on the end. It was perfect for unlocking windows. By sliding it through the small space between the windows so he could lift the latch. 

Silently creeping through the window Nick found himself at the end of the hall, just across from the stairs. Glancing down the stairs he could see the front door, putting him near the front of the house. The hall was sparse of furniture, save for the lone table with a vase of flowers on it. Down the hall he could count four doors, three being bedrooms and one being a linen closet, those were his guesses. At the very end of the hall from where he was standing was a door; typically in houses like these the largest bedroom would be that one. Which is where Rutherford and his wife should be sleeping. The intel specified that Rutherford kept the true ledger in a safe beside his bed. Not exactly the ideal place Nick wanted to be, but, oh well…

A settled house at night was quiet, as it was with nearly every house he had ever thieved from. This house too was no exception. The familiar ticking of a clock was heard like a soft echo through the hall. His ears would flicker at every tiny creak of old wood that made noise with no reasons other than age. His nose cooled with the chilled breathe of a long dead fire that made the air inside crisp and dewy. Along with every minute sound came the gentle thuds of his heart. 

Every step forward he chose with careful thoughtful movement, testing each board for give before putting his full weight into it. All the while he couldn’t help but stare down at his feet, so focused he caught himself forgetting to breath. He hadn’t felt this way since he was a kit on his first job. Now, tonight inside this closed space, he was so over focused his mind was pulled into a thousand different worries. The most pressing being the ever growing ache in his paw that he tried to numb with all his will, trying not to focus on how difficult it was to ignore. Needless to say, it was a long, heart racing pace at a crawl to reach the bedroom door.

Everything in the home was lion sized, so Nick had to strain just a little to reach the door handle. This too was an agonizingly slow task that required him to be patient. He strained his ears to pick up each and every tiny click as the turned the door handle. With eyes shut tight, ear pressed as close as he could to the door, he waited, ebbing his paw into milisecond twisting. When the bolt cleared the latch Nick then still had to pry the door open, with all the hope that this door didn’t squeak. After a few heart stopping little squeaks Nick was in. He left the door open by about half an inch, enough for a quick escape, but not noticable to anyone who would look in that direction. 

Inside the room was darker than the hallway had been. Black curtains were pulled shut to block out the light from the streets and moon. Luckily for Nick he had excellent night vision, and with it he could see that the bedroom was far from sparse. Between the huge elegant bed, to the vanity painted golden, to the wardrobe and chest of drawers, the room was full despite it’s large size. There was also the scent of sickly perfume that tickled Nick’s nose; forcing him to catch a sneeze or risk waking the sleeping lions. Both lions were large, he could tell from the two huge humps snuggled under a silken green duvet, and their heavy breathing rumbled as they slept. 

Dropping down to all fours Nick crept across the cool wooden floor, at the same slow pace he had used in the hall. Each board was gingerly tested for give and every tiny sound they made caused his heart to drop into his stomach. It was often in traditional families that the male would sleep closest to the bedroom door, in case of intruders such as himself. So Nick checked that side first. The intel said there would be a safe, but all Nick found here was a regular bedside table with four large drawers that left no space between it and the floor. It was mind numbing business opening the draws to check inside them for fake bottoms. It seemed to take forever, but the risk of noise was too great to go any quicker. When nothing out of the ordinary was found, he crept to the otherside. The bed sat up high enough that he was able to belly crawl underneath of it. It was the same exact table on this side was well, once again he found nothing of interest. 

 _‘Hmmm...well, it’s got to be here somewhere. If it were me...where would I…”_ Nick’s eyes widened for a moment as an idea came to him. _‘Oh Nick you sly fox, why wouldn’t you look there first?’_ He shook his head, a smile on his face with gentle shut eyes. How could he have been so simple minded to think that there would actually be a…Nick very carefully moved the table aside just a tad.

There, plain as day on the wall he saw it. A large seam between two planks of wood, a larger than normal space. This indicated that something was there, something that Mr. Claws didn’t want any-mammal to find. 

 _‘Something indeed.’_ Just as Nick had his hidden hole in the wall, so did Mr. Rutherford Claws. 

He eyed the table, it was heavy solid wood and with everything in the house lion sized it was going to be stupid tedious to move. He glanced up at the sleeping lions, he could just see the fluffs of Rutherford’s mane over the edge of this pillow. Their breathing still sounded heavy in sleep, which was a good thing. 

 _‘So far everything has worked out....’_ He glanced down at his paw, it felt hot, with the pain still ever present. He’d been lucky in that he hadn’t had a magical incident yet. To have one now would be disastrous. Going forward he would have to be even more lucky if he wanted to make it out of here with the ledger. 

Taking a large deep breathe Nick began squeezing his way into the space between the table and bed frame. It was a snug fit, but he had enough room to flatten his paws against the side of the table and push. 

~thummp~

Nick’s first hard push forced out a sound that seemed to fill the room with dread. There seemed to be long, stomach turning, agonizing moments as Nick’s entire body went rigid and he listened intently for any change in the breathing. He had to clear the table from the wall, he needed momentum, and it would be like ripping a bandage off. He couldn’t fathom any other way to avoid making that horrible noise. To move the table took all his strength, it would have to be done in one hard push, with hope the sounded didn’t wake his host. 

With a giant gulp of air he held his breath, put his shoulder into it, dug his feet in, and pushed. This time he ignored the initial sound and instead focused on the hollow sound of wood sliding across the floor. It was a low and steady sound that he hoped would go unnoticed in the passing of a dream. He tried to minimize the scrapping of his nails, but it felt unavoidable as he used all the strength in his legs to move him forward. He eyed the wall all the while, waiting to see that seam again. As soon as his eyes locked on it he stopped. 

Immediately he hunkered down, quickly darting under the bed. His ears flickered wildly around, searching for any subtle noise that he had rosed them when he heard it. Closed his eyes he began to concentrate on the worrisome sound of some-mammal above shifting. Every toss, turn, the grumbling of their mouths as they drifted off once more had his toes twitching for the door. When it finally stopped someone let out a loud snore, but no screams or alerts that Nick had been spotted. 

He waited a long moment, hunkered down on all fours, the fur on the back of his paw standing on end. There was the awareness of relief that washed over him, but it was so coupled by anxiousness that it took Nick time to refocus himself on finishing the job. Once calm and collected he slunk back out, his body stretched out and lanky as he moved towards the fake panel. 

  Facing the wall with a clear head, he was able to admire the brilliance of it. One would have to be close to notice the seam, not quite flush against the rest of the wood. The grain lined up nearly perfect and the color spot on. 

_‘Not bad, not me, but not bad at all.’_

Pulling his leather pouch out again he started to work the wood panel loose with a thin flat tool. Once out he laid the piece of wood gently to the side and studied what it had relieved on the other side. A medium sized safe box, made of iron over wood, nestled snugly in the wall. It was front facing, with a large key hole set to the left side of it. Intricate golden flowers were set into the slike black iron, cascading over the door plate in waves of delicacy, blossoming golden roses on thorny vines. It was obvious just from that detail alone that this was a high end safe box, expensive, and made by an experienced crafter. It in itself was a work of pure artistry. 

Reaching forward he studied a digit over the keyhole, his paw brushed over the inlaid flowers. He was slightly awestruck when he watched them shimmer to life at his touch.

_‘Enchanted…’_

This would be the tricky bit, magical safes were all the rage these days among the higher class mammals. They were difficult, nah, near impossible, to crack. There were any number of magical enchantments one could use on a safe like this one. On top of that he had never seen one this detailed before. Usually they were embellished with gems on the face, or glyphs set into them. This just had gold flowers, but the shimmer and the tingling in his paw meant this was undoubtedly an enchantment protected safe. It was something he should have expected, but instead was found surprised. 

_‘But what kind? I don’t want to have to search for the key, that’ll be a waste of time, not to mention a pain.’_

He was hesitant to go jamming his tools into the lock. Depending on the enchantment it could end up triggered some sort of alam to go off. Any number of things could happen, but....Nick tried to recall all of the items he had seen around the room. He scanned his surroundings one more from where he was crouched. Glancing up at the bed posts, the hooks on the wall, anywhere a key could be hidden. He set to running his paw along the inside of the bed frame, it turned up nothing. It was all in hopes of not having to pick such an unknown lock, but it seemed that was the only choice he had now. Too much time had passed and the witching hours were soon to be upon them, it was now or never. 

Taking a deep breath he let it out slowly as he spread his tool pouch along the floor. The tools themselves were ornate silver, special made; and while magical safes weren’t something he commonly ran into, it wasn’t as though these tools wouldn’t do the job...probably. Each tool was different and served for different jobs. That said, Nick had several copies of the same pin tool. Each had a different combination of stones set into the handle; and each combination had a different purpose. Since this job was it was a mystery he chose the pin tool with a run of the mill quartz, jet, and amethyst set into it. It should dispel any magical enchantment set into the lock. Quickly rolling up the pouch he tied it back into place on his hip. 

With tools in paw Nick crept up to the safe until his face was only a few inches away. His tail curled on pure instinct in between his legs. In these moments Nick felt as though he was unable to breathe as he slid the tools into the lock. As he focused he did his best to block out all other noise around him. Soon the only sound he was able to hear was the clicking of silver and iron sliding over each other. His paw twitched into tiny movements as he worked the intricate mechanism into opening for him. There had been no alarm, but the time between locked and open were hours away. There would be no small victories until he had the ledger in his paws.

~thunk~ 

His breath hitched in his throat and he froze when he heard the bolt slide away and saw the safe door crack just a little. Still, he didn’t react right away. Instead he listened to the room, stared at the safe in slight apprehension for what was to come next. The golden flowers were still shimmering and the tools against his paw pads were warm; either from his body heat or the magic that was working through them. The pain in his left paw was now beyond being able to ignore as it shook with tremors. Even though he was so close, Nick felt like running, a dread in the pit of his stomach that matched what he had felt that day in throne room. 

Panic. 

 _‘Danmit’ it all! I feel like I’m losing it…’_ He locked his jaw with sheer willpower, teeth clenched so hard he thought he could hear them cracking in his mouth. With more roughness than he meant to Nick jerked open the safe door. On the back of the door was the enchantment, a large rosy quartz surrounded by a circle of agate. A rather simple stone set for such an expensive looking safe. Perhaps it wasn’t as pricey as it looked. 

The contents inside were a rather unimpressive sight as well. True to the info, on top of a stack of papers sat a hefty leather bound book. Thumbing through the long rectangular pages were all the actual sales made by Mr. Claws. Customer names, species, dates, order details, and last but not least, the actual sale cost. Not doubt if matched with the fake one in the store, these would be inflated. He stuffed the book into his satchel before turning back to thumb through the rest. Sure, the job was just for the ledger, but he couldn’t help poking around for something that made this a little more worthwhile. 

As he shuffled around in the safe he found a silk purse, it’s contents turned out to be a mix of finely cut gems like sapphires and rubies. He tucked that away in the satchel as well to pawn off later. As he prepared to leave he eyed the quartz again, it really was a rather simplistic set up for such an elegant safe; hard to believe his meager tools were able to bypass it. He reached out with his left paw and palmed the face of the smooth quartz without thinking. 

Just as soon as his scar touched it his entire arm grew hot as though it was on fire. White prismatic light crackled around his whole paw, like electricity connecting him to the quartz. The golden flowers on the face of the safe turned red, glowing like an iron brander. The pain in his paw was suddenly unbearable, more so than when he was stabbed with the knife. A low whine began to fill the room, only to grow steadily louder within moments. Soon it was an ear piercing scream that made Nick’s body grow still as he gritted his teeth to keep from screaming. He had dropped to all fours to curl in on himself. He used his right paw to grip his other arm, digging his claws in so deep he drew blood. His eyes wide in terror as he focused on the scar, it glowed white across his paw pad and felt like fire scorching him from the inside. Despite the immense pain his mind was screaming at him to move. RUN! 

“WHO'S THERE!?” The roar of Rutherford Claws leaping out of his bed broke through Nick’s agony long enough for him to bound for the double windows. Throwing open the curtains, filling the room with moonlight. 

“Ahhhhhhh!” Mrs. Claws screamed from her bed, a shrill terrified sound, heard clearly over the willing of the alarm. 

“Stop right there!” There was the unmistakable sound of a sword being drawn from its sheath. Nick looked over his shoulder just as he had the windows open, knee bent up to his chest as he climbed on top of the window seat. Rutherford was coming at him, sword raised high, Mrs. Claws starting wide eyed from her bed. 

“Catch ya later.” Overcome with heat Nick still found enough focus to feign a cocky smile before he swung himself from the window ledge and up onto the roof. Running over the rooftops took him back to his chase from the palace. Only tonight was clear, not a cloud in the sky and the moon was full. His hand burned as his felt the sweat begin to run through his fur like a fever. 

_‘What a fool I am…’_

“GUARDS! GUARDS! THIEF!!!” Just moments later, the bells began to ring. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Big "Thank you!" to everyone who has been reading since I posted the first chapter! It means a lot to me! I also appreciate all my new readers! Thank you! I hope you all have enjoyed it so far! More excitement to come in the next chapter! <3


	7. In Magic's Blaze

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey Everyone! I am so excited to introduce this chapter! It contains scenes I was really looking forward to writing. So because of that I was able to get it out quicker than expected! I hope you can enjoy reading this chapter as much as I did when writing it! 
> 
> Shout out to my awesome team of beta readers! Tandiian and Tarathiel!

 A Mage’s Heart

Chapter Six: In Magic’s Blaze

 

 

“Haa...haa...haa...haaa!” His breath came out in heavy rasping gasps as he paused to lean against an alley wall. Every intake of air made his throat and lungs feel as though there was a fire erupting inside of him. The heat blossomed over his skin like a fire dancing against glass. The pain grew more intense now, damn near crippling as he struggled to move. His legs felt like lead weights as the muscles in them pulsed and burned from running. Nick cradled his tender arm into his chest as the pain continued to swarm through his body. His surroundings had begun to blur as dizziness from the fever set in.

He felt like he had been running for days and as the night waned on he was starting to lose hope. It seemed that there was a guard waiting for him at every twist and turn of the alleys and streets. There was no end to them. From the moment he’d left Rutherford’s house the guards had been relentless in their pursuit of him. Arrows being fired at the rooftops had forced him down to the ground, earning him a cut across his back from a well aimed shot. Getting to the Outer District had been a frantic dash for the water runoff he had made use of earlier. Being on the ground he was forced to dodge spears and swords, all the while fighting the pain of being burned alive from the inside. His sole instinct being to run, flee, and most of all...live.

The guard bells continued to ring loud out into the empty night air, overtaking the senses and overwhelmed his direction. It made developing a strategy difficult, all he knew was that he couldn’t risk Finnick’s place, he wouldn’t dare to lead the guards there. So as he hunched over, bloodied, his first thought was to leave the city altogether. He had managed to maneuver himself through the Outer District with minimal interference from the guards; but between the pain, the bells, the heat, it was becoming increasingly laborious to remember where he was or how long he had been there groaning on the ground. 

“I...can’t stay here…” What a sad sight he must look, fur matted with sweat and blood, mouth dry from panting and his body trembling from the unseen pain within. He was a long way off from where he had been before his capture. The thought caused an ominous feeling creeping up on him. The idea that this magic was eating him from the inside. That this magic was going to be his end and he had no way of stopping it. 

Struggling to stand he steadied himself against the wall, shuffling along as best he could. He was able to feel the blood running down his back, hot and sticky as it matted his clothes, and the cut stung from his sweat. While he did his best to move slowly, teeth gritted tight to muffle his groans, his ears were able to pick up the distance sounds of conversation. It was that same buzz of activity which meant he was near the west harbor gate. It meant he was close now, but that small bit of reprieve in him sank; combined with the everyday nightlife there was the clanging of metal armor.

“Ughh…” Nick threw his head back against the wall, berating himself inside on how stupid this undertaking had been. He put a paw to his face,trying to work through the frustration. It was too soon for this, Finnick was right, and now there was a chance he would never be able to tell him just how right he had been. Closing his eyes he did his best to bring himself off that edge of panicked despair that he was so close to dropping over. It would do him no favors to lose himself now, more than he already was at least. When he opened his eyes he was met with an idea. 

Above him were several clothes lines strung from window to window, garments left out to dry overnight. On one of them were several blankets, among them he spotted a rich brown colored one that would be large enough to encompass his whole body. The idea was that he could disguise himself long enough to slip through the gates and be gone before the guards had figured it out. The line was a little high up there, but if he climbed the drain spout he could reach it. He quietly hoped to himself that his body would make it. 

As he reached up with his left paw to begin the climb an unexpected burst of light shot out from his palm. It filled the alleyway like lighting striking across a night sky. The force of the blast was destructive enough to shatter all the nearby windows, bust up some doors, and of course knock down all the laundry. Despite the wreckage around him Nick didn’t take any notice of it. 

The white light had been so blinding it forced Nick recoil to the ground. It wasn’t just the light that had sent him spiraling into the dirt. Nick had screamed through the violent outburst of magic as it ripped through his paw without leaving a trace of its destruction on him. He clutched his paw to his chest in a bone cracking grip. It had felt like razors shredding his palm from the inside out. Tears of pain slide down his cheeks and through his fur as he tightly shut his eyes. His tail was wrapped tightly around him while he rode the waves of pure agony. He needed time to work through this, but found he had little. Already his ears wildly moved about as he heard the guards closing in on him from both directions, drawn in by the light and sounds. 

The clothes from above fluttered down along with the dust and debris, falling over Nick’s huddled up body. He stretched his paws out, feeling through the mixture of wood and glass until he felt the softness of a blanket. He gingerly tugged it over himself, not carrying which it was, and finished pulling it over his head just as guards entered the alley from both ends. He did his best to hide his face as he tied the corner under this chin. 

“You there! Stay where you are!!” He heard the shivering sound of steel swords being drawn free from their sheaths. “Stand and show yourself!” Even with his eyes down Nick could feel them closing in, inching forward with weapons drawn at the ready. He didn’t have to see to know that there was no way for him to escape this. 

Not again, he didn’t want to be captured, tortured, and beaten. In this state he didn’t think he could survive another two months trapped in the dark. The mere thought of being forced back into that dank cold cell sent more fear spilling through his veins. 

_‘Not again…’_

“Stand thief! There’s no running now! We have you surrounded!” The rustling of their armor came nearer. It was coupled with the crushing of glass beneath their wrapped feet as they drew in closer. The sounds echoed maddeningly loud in his ears. Making it feel as though they were right on top of him.

“Don't struggle now, just stand and give up...” There was the familiar sound of iron shackles, rattling in the paws of a guard. His senses were like pins in his skin, allowing him to feel the reaching of paws at his back. That desperate edge he had been trying not to fall into became a plunge, followed by the desperate gasps for air as his mind sprang back to the present. 

“NOT AGAIN!!!” His voice was unfamiliar to him as he cried out in anger. Nick whirled on the guards, jumping to his feet, and spinning his body around to face them at his back. The blanket fanned around him like a cape as he thrust his paw out from underneath. He threw his left paw out in front of him and from it sprang forth that same bright prismatic light that he had seen just a moment ago. Only know he was using all his concentration to purposely force it out, will it to work for him. It spidered from his paw and through the air like fiery electricity, blindingly bright, and the force of it threw the guards backwards. It knocked them to the ground, stunned and dazed, their ears ringing from the impact. Their groans and hollers were mute to him as Nick took that chance to rush them. He shoved his way through the few still standing, paying no mind to the ones lying on the ground as he used their bodies as stepping stones in his escape down the alley. 

He couldn’t avoid the shards of glass that littered the ground. He felt the stinging as the sharp edges sliced into his paw pads; paper thin bits dug into him becoming embedded. Sadly, there was no time for him to rest and dig them out, he had to keep moving. The sensory overload from the heat and his flight instinct allowed him to ignore the bulk of the pain for now, be he knew his poor paws would be ruined later. Nick made it to the end of the alleyway and stumbled to discover he was on the main road. He hadn’t realized he was so close. 

“Ahh…” Nick winced as blood rain into his eye from a cut on his forehead. He was standing in the middle of the road, and being in such a populated area mammals were starting to gather around him.They had rushed out of their homes, taverns, and inns, drawn out by the commotion. 

“Sir, are you ok?” A female sheep nearest to him tried to peek under his hood, but then she noticed the bloody paw trail behind him and gasped in shock. 

“Get back!” Nick barked at them, causing several of them to skitter away in fright. He stood for a moment, panting roughly as he stole glances around him, trying to gain back some sense about which direction he should be heading in. His eyes looked frantic as all he could do was stare at the ground as he pushed himself to move. It was a shaky advance forward as he pushed himself through the crowd, using the momentum to clear a path ahead of him. His whole body ached from head to toe, each step being more painful than the last. He could smell the freshly caught fish and taste the salty sea air on his tongue. He was so...so close. 

“HALT RIGHT THERE!” 

 _‘Dammit…’_ He lifted his face to take a sidelong glance over his shoulder, nearly choking for air as he pleaded with his surroundings for a reprieve. Behind him guards were filing into the street, their bustling armor echoed through the air with an intimidating march as they stepped in unison. Once their appearance began to catch the attention of the bystanders, many of them fled inside for safety. 

He was left standing alone in the middle of the road, just yards away from the west harbor gate as the guards began to encircle him. Nick stayed steady, his claws dug into his paw pad as he fisted his left paw in an attempt to ease the pain there. With narrowed eyes he glowered at them under the edge of the blanket. 

“Let me leave.” 

“Not a chance. You’re coming with us.” One guard stood out among the rest, a rhino guard, large and intimidating with a massive sword. He was a regular guard captain, but carried himself as something more special. He towered over Nick, looked down at them over the tip of his horn. 

“Can’t you see what I’m capable of? Or do you want to get hurt too?” A nervous smile peeled over his face as he shifted his eyes back to the ground. His left paw was shaking like a leaf in a storm with the fire that raged inside of it. He could feel the pressure building back up again, increasing the pain that shot from it all over his body. Blood trickled down between his digits and dripped to the earth below. The magic that swelled inside of him seemed as though it had a mind of its own and wanted to be set free. Nick casted his head down and slowly shut his eyes.  

“You’re a dangerous criminal, I’ll give you that. You will be arrested for your crimes this night.” The words the captain spoke sounded like they were speaking underwater to his ears. Everything spoken now sounded muffled as Nick continued to block everything but the feelings inside of him out. The heat, his anger, the pain, he concentrated on all of it, fueling himself for a great escape. It was in that state that he realized that along with the guards shouts he could no longer hear the bells. 

‘ _How strange…when did I stop hearing them?’_

The sound of a sword swinging through the air had a very soft and distinct voice. It was delicate, smooth and if coldness had its own breath it would be this. He knew it so well that even with his eyes closed, he was able to leap forward several paces to avoid receiving a large cut across his back. 

“Uugh!!!” A guard behind him shouted as their sword struck into the ground, sending clumps of dirt flying from the impact. Nick spun around, his eyes now open wide from the attack. With gritted teeth he charged towards the guard, a tiger, that had tried to strike him down. He used the time it took the tiger to raise their sword again to his advantage and was able to maneuver his smaller form around them. Scurrying on all fours, claws scraping into the dirt, he tried bolting around their legs as the circle of guards all began to draw their weapons. Now it became a frenzied act to avoid being caught by one of those blades. A sword came down right in front of him, forcing him to jump to the side, he climbed up and over the ox guard who had swung it. Nick slid down their armored back, landing on his feet in time to duck another swing, this time from the rhino captain. Every action brought him closer to the gate, but it he wasn’t careful he could very well lose his head. 

Through it all he had managed to keep the blanket tied tight over his head, and it survived a little less worse for wear than he did. He had managed to avoid any major blows to his bod, only receiving one new clean cut across the back of his thigh from a spear he hadn’t seen shoot at him from his side. Clearing the ambush had reduced him to all fours, scurrying over the ground, coating his fresh open wounds in dirt. The goal had been to flee, not fight, and It was worth it to bring himself all the more closer to escape. He now had a straight shot to the gate and took it at a full sprint, all four paws pounding the earth beneath him. The gate, two massive wooden doors, had long been closed and it was far too high and smooth to climb. There was a pang of fear inside him that made his nerves scream. The terror of being cornered overtook him with the guards nearly on his heel. He flung his whole body against the heavy wooden gate, with his front paws slamming into it first. Nick dug inside himself for that magical pressure, the one that wanted to come out, to tear his body apart. He brought it to a head and let it go. 

The blast that was created by his futile attempt for some control over his magic was larger than that of the alley. He dug his claws into the ground, doing his best to not be blasted backwards by the force of it. Whoever had followed behind them though were all sent backwards by the unexpected force. Splinters of wood stuck in Nick's arms as he covered his face, cutting into him and becoming lodged in the muscle. Still, that pain did nothing to subside the violent tremor that was once again rampaging in him from the forced use of his untamed magic. Much like then though there was no time to nurse his aches or wounds. Somehow he had managed to create a hole large enough for rhino to fit through, as well as a good size crater in the ground beneath it. Dust and wood chips were kicked up, causing Nick, and many others, to cough and sputter. He seized the moment and rushed through the broken gate before the dust settled.  

There was hope that after that massive of a blast no one would follow him, it was a small one, but he pleaded that it would prove to be true. Outside that gate the harbor at this time was nearly empty, save for the curious mammals that had come off their ships, and out of their warehouses, to see what all the noise was about. They gave him a wide berth as Nick spirited away, clutching his wounds and fleeing the city. 

His one recall out here was the forest. A large densely overgrown area just outside of Animalia. He had very little familiarity with it, but it was the only place that he could think to run to that had no mammals living in it. So he made for it with pure adrenaline being the only thing keeping him from collapsing at this point. The air was cooler out here and he took in huge gulps of its crispness to soothe his scorched throat. The dewy grass underneath his bloody paws was a small grace to his burning body. 

 _‘Just a little closer…’_ It was that small thought that made each step bearable as the forest came into view. He’d only been here a couple of times for exchanging goods, but never any deeper than the tree line. Now he felt the need to run to the heart of it. To become lost in it’s deepest depths until he felt safe. 

When he finally laid his paw on the first tree he took that moment to look back over his shoulder at the City of Animalia. There was a strange sensation in his gut, this city no longer looked the same to him anymore. He felt almost frightened of it, but mostly it just felt like a stranger to him now. He was sad to see it in this way, for he was sure this would be the last time he would ever lay eyes on it. There was a gladness within him when he saw that no mammals were following him, and it allowed him to have some peace of mind. Casting his eyes away from the walls he once called home Nick entered the woods with no path or direction, he just threaded himself aimlessly further in. 

The woods were so thick that the moon couldn’t reach the ground. Everything around him was as silent and quiet as the emptiness of a shadow, which helped ease him into letting his defenses fade away. He clumsily reached up and untied the heavy blanket, allowing it to fall uncaring to the forest floor, left there to be forgotten. The heat was still in him, but there was a hazy calmness that had begun to set in as his heartbeat started to slow. It was like being pushed along in a dream now as he allowed the trees to guide him, feeling the rough bark underneath his paw. Relying on them to show him the way as his vision began to grow darker. It felt like his whole body was starting to give out on him as a coldness began to spread over him. The events of the night were catching up now, he felt the strength in his legs quickly leaving him. When his knees finally gave Nick dug his claws into the trunk of the tree he was leaning against and slid down to the ground. For several long, heavy, breathy moments he panted, claws still dug in before he was slowly able to roll himself over, back laying against the tree for support. 

As his body lay there against the cool wood of the tree, chest rising and falling with the shallow breaths of his battered and abused body, everything started to close in around him. It felt so good to not be moving, but now he was able to feel everything. The crippling pain in his paw had ebbed some, his body no longer felt like it was boiling from the inside out. He finally was able to shut his eyes, allowing his muscles to sag and relax into his exhaustion. With his mouth hung open he began to let out loud ragged breaths as the wounds he had sustained became more present now that the high of adrenaline was no longer clouding his mind. He could feel the blood oozing from him, pooling hot and crimson on the grass beneath him. While he knew those would heal with time and care, it was his insides that he wasn’t so sure about. 

_‘I don’t even know if I have time really…’_

He lifted his good paw slowly up to his chest and gingerly dug into his shirt. There, laying heavy on his chest and warm to the touch, was his necklace. Bringing it out he felt the etching of the mage symbol beneath his digit. It used to _just_ be a family hairloom with at symbol whose meaning no one was able to recall. Now, in his darkest hours, it was all he could think about. 

“Saphielle…” He cracked his eyes open, just enough to make out the shape of the stone in his paw. “What did you mean...by _soon_?” A painful chuckle slipped softly up his throat, bringing with it a twinge of emotion that brought tears to his eyes. “Did you mean death?” 

The moment was broken by the sound of leaves being crunched on the forest floor. His ears twitched at the sound, but he was beyond being able to move, let alone run. There was no energy left in him to be afraid, now he just closed his eyes and accepted whatever fate had in store for him. He let his head fall back, dropping the necklace onto his chest with a thud, and allowing his arms to drop back to his sides.The footsteps drew closer, seeming to move with purpose. When they were right before him they stopped and Nick could feel their eyes on him.

“I’ll be dead soon...so don’t worry about it…” 

There was no response, curious, he found the energy to crack an eye open. It took a moment of tiring concentration, but he was able to focus just enough to make out the dark silhouette of a figure. There was a familiarity now as he grimaced at them, their hooded presence bringing back that feeling of being watched.  

With very soft movements the mammal before him leaned down into a crouched position. They held out a paw just inches from his face and softly began to whisper words that sounded eerily like the language Arisa had used when she had cast the spell before stabbing his paw. The paw in front of him began to glow a purplish black, spinning small wisps of magic around Nick’s muzzle. He prepared himself for more pain, but instead a pressure deep within him seemed to be lifted. It left him feeling lighter and now the pain in his paw was back to the dull ache of yesterday morning. He wasn’t healed, he could still feel the blood pouring from his dirt caked wounds, but something inside of him had assuredly shifted. 

“What did you do?” His voice was a choked out rasp as he spoke, not sounding like him at all. 

“I’ve stopped you from dying, for a little while at least.” The voice that responded was low, almost monotone, he was unable to discern a gender. 

“What does that mean?” Nick’s eyes narrowed, his vision began to clear some as the dizziness he had been feeling finally stopped it’s pounding on his brain. He could better see now that it was a mammal around his size. They were shrouded in a large black cape with a long hood over their face. 

“It means I’ve relieved just enough of the magical pressure inside you for you to survive, but not enough for you to heal.” 

 _‘Not enough for me to heal, eh? So probably not here to save me, but they’re also not from the city. This probably isn’t going to go well.’_ Though his mind was starting to clear he could think of no way out of this. Escaping wasn’t an option when he couldn’t even lift his body to move. 

“You’re probably wondering why I’ve done this?” The mysterious mammal rose themselves back into a standing position, but even looking up Nick still couldn’t see their face. 

“You could say that.” He did his best to try and shift his body, but he lacked the strength to do more than budge a bit to the side. He tried to hide the grimace from the pain that shot up his spine at just that minimal bit of movement. “Mind telling me who the hell you are?” They didn’t answer him right away, but he could feel their eyes on him as they pondered an answer. 

“It’s our first time meeting like this, but we have met before.” 

“The letter in my window...” 

“Yes.” They didn’t even hesitate their admittance. He wasn’t surprised, he had his suspicions since he sensed their strange presence. With that knowledge though he felt his body tense as a frightening realization sunk in. 

“That would mean you’re the one who hired me for the job, stealing the mage’s heart stone.” He ground his teeth as a low growl escaped his throat, rumbling in his chest, as an intense anger bloomed within his broken body. 

“Yes again, you’re quick. I am a servant to my Lord Diramus Grimwolf Fangmar, King of Dostringar.” The figure reached up and pulled their hood back, revealing themselves to be a badger. The sight revealed caused Nick’s eyes to widen with fear of the mammal that now stood before him, for they looked wrong. The fur around their dark red eyes was gone, leaving sick pale skin on the surface. From their eyes thin red lines ran jagged across the grey skin, spidering down over their cheeks to their mouth. 

“You must recall my words of warning. I’m surprised you weren’t more careful.” 

“I try not to take ominous and vague notes too seriously.” 

“It would have been better to take mine to heart. You’ve left yourself vulnerable.” Their face remained unchanged and their voice was hollow without definitive tones. It was like talking to a soulless husk. 

“What do you expect to do, you never got the heartstone and it’s beyond my capabilities to get it for you now. You’re out of luck, so either kill me here or crawl back to your _master_.” His face twisted into a snarl, his claws twitching on his paws as he barked his words at this stranger. Even though he could barely move Nick felt a rage lit up within him. If it hadn’t been for them then none of this would have happened. 

“You misunderstood the message, I’m not here t _o kill_ you… _‘_ _For what a stone was worth, you now possess. We’ll come to take what has been promised.’_ ” They recited the note for him, but still the words were just as lost on him as before.

“Am I supposed to know what that means?” 

“You should. After all, the outcome for us all is centered around you now.” 

“W-what?” 

“You have Saphielle Yllaries’ magic inside of you, we no longer need the heart stone.” The badger blinked at him, as though this should have been obvious. 

“How do you know that?” 

Instead of words the badger lifted their paws up to their own face. There was a blurring shimmer around their paws and when they brought them back down the badger had changed appearance. There before him stood a zebra.

“I’ve been following you for a while now Nicholas Wilde. I was outside the throne room that day, I know everything that happened there. While my King wanted the mage’s heart stone, we mages hadn’t thought of a way to release her. Now, that is no longer an obstacle. All we need is you.” 

The warmth faded from his body as all the pieces started to fall together. His mouth fell open as his eyes filled with dread while gazing up at the zebra. He brought to mind the female zebra guard outside of the throne room. How could an enemy have gotten so close to the Queen, to be hidden right in plain sight. Now they were here before him. Talking about the fate of the world and his part in it, it was too casual. Too many people around him lately liked to talk about the end, his part, their part; it all seemed so unreal that his anger faded and he began to wonder about the state of his mind. How much blood had he lost? Perhaps this was a dream, or maybe he was already dead. 

“Nick…” The zebra changed back into the badger as they crouched back down in front of him. “...you already bear our King’s marker, it was always meant to be this way....” The badger reached out and took his necklace in their paws, rubbing it fondly, like an old familiar friend. They stared at it as though they were entranced by it. “I’ve longed for this.” 

All sound was gone now and all Nick could hear was the drumming of his own heart. He starred in wide eyed terror at the badger as they pondered over his stone. Everything around him slowed to a dead crawl. He felt his own blood trickling out of his body, felt every strand of fur as the blood pushing through it. He was barely able to register that the badger had let go of his necklace and was reaching for him once more. Their cold red eyes glowing as the same purple magic began to radiate once more from their paw. He let himself fall into the haunting words they chanted in that strange far off language. Nick began to close his eyes as he felt the caress of the badgers’ paws on his cheeks, giving in to the feeling of numbness that was spreading over his weakened body.

Just then a bright blue light shattered the darkness. It hit the badger, sending them hurtling across the small clearing. 

“Nick!” 

Nick turned his head, right before his vision blacked out, and saw the shining amethyst eyes of Captain Hopps…

 

~~~

 

**Three hours earlier**

 

The sea breeze blew in over the wall, ruffling Judy’s fur as she breathed in deeply, taking in the calmness of the city. She stood on top of the courtyard wall, looking over the the quiet houses and flickering lantern lights. From here she was able to see far and wide, past the Outer District gates and into the harbor. The witching hour was nearly upon them and Arisa’s words kept nagging at her. She wasn’t sure if she wanted to go because she wasn't sure what she would find there. Right now the city was quiet, but she had the horrible sinking feeling that was about change. 

“Captain Hopps.” Judy turned a little to see Bogo walking towards her. 

“What are you doing up here?” She questioned him, but had a feeling she already knew why. 

“Same as you,I suppose.” He came to stand next to her, leaning on the wall, taking in the same view. “You’re thinking of going, aren’t you?” 

 _‘Straight to the point as always.’_ She had to give it to him, he was consistent. “You don’t approve, _again_?” She folded her arms over her chest and looked up at him. 

“I reserve my opinion from earlier, this isn’t something you should concern yourself with.” Another breeze blew, the taste of salt was on his tongue as he spoke. 

“I told you what Arisa said, he’s important, I can’t just let him wander out there alone. If he’s going to be in west harbor that means he’s left the pawn shop. So not only is he a danger to himself, but to those around him as well.” She hadn’t mentioned the bit Arisa had said about her own part in the future to come. The idea of her and Nick someday working together didn’t seem possible. 

“Judy...I’m talking to you as a friend right now.” His voice lost the edge of harshness it usually had. He looked down at her over his shoulder. By dropping the formalities this meant he sincerely wanted her to listen. There was a pause here and Judy looked up at him to meet his gaze. “Let it go.” 

“Why is this so important to you?” Her face scrunched a bit, becoming torn. It wasn’t like Bogo to be the concerned party. Bogo let out a deep breath before continuing. 

“I’ve noticed that lately you’ve become too fixated on him. To be honest, I can’t tell if you are regretful or just obsessed. You’re not as focused as you used to be and it shows in everything your doing.” He stopped himself here, as though he wasn’t sure if he should say more. Another deep breath. “Ever since the incident in the throne room you haven’t been yourself. Sending spies and sneaking behind the Queen’s back, it’s not like you. I need my Captain back.” His gaze had shifted to staring out over the city. It has sounded as though those last few words were more to himself and she was just a bystander. He was trying to be kind, in his own way, showing he cared. The feelings came across and made Judy’s heart swell a little with guilt for having caused any-mammal to worry. Bogo was her most trusted blessed knight, beyond loyal, and a dear friend. If he had noticed this change in her, then it was well advised that she should listen.

“That obvious, huh?”

“To me, I’m not sure if anyone else has picked up on it yet."

“Thank you, for saying so. I just, I want to see this all to the end. I need to know what his part in all our futures are. To be honest, it makes me extremely nervous not knowing his whereabouts. All these unknowns make me anxious and then I don’t know what I should be doing. I’ve never felt so lost before.” She had her paw over her chest. It felt good to say them out loud. 

“I know, but some things are beyond your control.” Bogo straightened himself, standing to his full height, eyes still gazing out at the city. “They’ll happen however they are meant to happen, and you’ll just have to accept that.” 

“That’s easy for you to say.” 

“How so?” Bogo raised a brow at her.

“You’re not the one that beat him to a pulp and ruined his trust in our Queen.” She looked up at him, a smirk on her mouth.

 

~BOONG~BOONG~BOONG~

 

The bells echoed over the city like a wave of ice that made both Bogo and Judy’s blood run cold and their hearts stopped beating. From below they could hear shouting in the distance and their eyes were able to follow the soft glow of the torches in the middle district as the guards sprang into action. Without knowing what was happening Judy already had a hunch that this is what Arisa had wanted her to bear witness to.

“Bogo, I'm going down there." Without waiting for a response, Judy turned on her heel and steeled herself for action. Her mind blocked out all previous worries and all that was left in her was the detached composure of a warrior. She reached her paw up and touched the sapphire hanging on a silver chain around her neck. Instantly her armor materialized around her body as she advanced forward down the wall.

 _‘This is going to be a long night.’_ Bogo thought to himself as he huffed in resignation, shaking his head as he followed his captain. He touched his own sapphire on a mantel around his neck, his heavy silver armor forming around his hulking body as he moved after her. 

As they made their way through the palace courtyard they were able to witness the guards scrambling to their posts. News had already spread that a thief had robbed a well known guild leader. Not a threat to the Queen or palace security, but it seemed the robber was giving the city guards a good chase. Recalling the trouble Wilde had given them not long ago, now all thief activity, especially at night, earned the full attention of the palace guards. When they saw Blessed Captain Hopps and Lieutenant Bogo awake and in full armor it made them a little nervous. Several animals stopped them to ask questions. It quickly became rather annoying seeing as they had their own Captains to answer to and bother with their questions. Blessed Knights though were as high ranked as they came, but still, there was an order to follow. 

Their questions caused a delay that Judy herself had very little patience for this night. Despite her own feelings Judy still took every question and concern seriously, advising them as best she could. When they finally made it to the upper district there were guards busy assuring the nobel citizens that all was safe. The bells had brought many curious mammals out of their homes and into the streets. 

Down in the Merchant District there was a crowd gathered, guard and citizen alike. When Judy and Bogo drew nearer Judy was able to over hear the mention of a thieving _‘fox’_.  

 _‘It can’t be, he wouldn’t be so stupid…’_ From inside the house she could hear the bellowings of an irate lion. She recognized the home as belonging to a Rutherford Claws, leader of the tailor's guild, and his wife. It seemed he was the unfortunate victim of tonight's events. Judy could hear him well enough, as could every-mammal nearby, his voice carried. Again, there was the angry rants about a fox. _‘...then again, it’s too much of a coincidence not to be him.’_

“Should we stop to question him ourselves?” Bogo asked, looking down at her. 

“No need, I know it’s Nick Wilde. We need to get to the harbor before--” Judy stopped dead in her tracks, losing her words as a magical force surgered through the city like a breeze, ruffling her fur, stealing all her focus and taking over the senses. It rushed through her very core, causing all the fur on her body to stand on end as her nerves tingled. Her control over her emotions rippled, leaving small cracks on her cool exterior. Her nose twitched about as she let the feeling wash over her and dissipate. 

“Captain...” Bogo felt a shiver of magic run up his spine, the very same feeling he’d had in the throne room. “Is that what I think it was?” 

“Yes...” They both turned to face the outer district, taking a deep breath to relieve the pressure they felt building up against them. Their blessed powers made them more sensitive to magic, able to pinpoint eruptions of it within the city. What they felt now was familiar, warm, and there was a touch of fear threaded throughout it. 

“Lieutenant Bogo, I need you to go get Gazelle and then come find me.” 

“Understood.” There was zero hesitation in him and Judy had absolute faith that he would find her again just when he needed them most. Though she prayed it would not come to that. 

“And tell them to stop those blasted bells! I know what this is!” She threw her paw up, pointing to the nearest guard tower. Bogo held a hoof over his chest and nodded in understanding before leaving to follow her orders. 

As Bogo headed back to the castle Judy turned quick on her feet and broke into a run in the direction of the magical energy. It felt far away and she now knew for sure that this had been what Arisa had meant. The magic burst had lasted for just a moment, but it now lingered in the very air she breathed. There was no doubt in her mind that this was Nick, but something about it felt all wrong. To have built up so much magic inside of him over a period of just a few days? It was abnormal to say the least.

She had only been running for a minute or two when another burst of magic hit her. This time it was larger, hitting her like a wave crashing down, drowning her in a sense of fear and panic. The fear coming from his magic was so thick she could feel it in her bones. Judy’s resolve cracked and she allowed herself a brief moment of panic. 

 _‘Nick…’_ Judy shuddered to think what could have caused such a great amount of fear in an animal. There was pity in her now for him that had never been there before, causing her to worry for his safety, and to wonder what was happening to him right now. She felt a sudden need to protect him; mostly she just wanted him to understand why she had done the things she had, which couldn’t happen if he died tonight. Judy did her best to push that last thought away and press on. 

She kicked her speed up a notch, feet pounding on the cobblestone street, nearly flying down the main road. Nick’s magic was coming to a head, and she could feel the pressure of it all around her. These bursts of release wouldn’t be enough to stop it from boiling over. She hoped she would be able to make it in time to save Nick, and anyone else, from a magic that no one could have possibly known the extent of. 

_‘How could any of us have known he would have this much?’_

Judy’s lungs began to burn as she forced herself faster, and faster, never slowing. Her only focus was to reach Nick in time before anything got out of control. Animalia was a large, expansive city, to accommodate all species of mammals comfortably. Unfortunately that meant it took Judy nearly twice the time to get to the west harbor. The closer she got, the more guards she began to run into, which slowed her pace as she had to maneuver around them.

Just as she neared the lower district’s main road another burst of magic slammed into her. It shook her body, heart, and soul, bringing her to a stumbling halt in the middle of the road. This time she was much closer to the source so the impact was more intense. The air became so saturated with fear that for a moment she couldn't differentiate his or her own. It was so much more raw now, like a fresh wound, it broke through her defenses. Leaving her panting for a moment, catching the breaths that had been knocked from her. 

Along with that blast of magic there had been a deafening boom that had sent every mammal around her scurrying for shelter. If she hadn’t already known it was Nick she might have worried they were under attack. Instead all it did was strengthen her resolve, but she was wasting precious time standing here being affected by magic. Judy had thought she had more control over herself than this. These last few days of worrying had made her soft to his state of wellbeing. 

 _‘What do you know, Bogo was right.’_ Judy took several deep breaths, steadying herself to the calm collected will of a blessed knight. When she opened her eyes again she could see dust rising into the air over the tops of the buildings. She was nearly on west harbor road, she wondered what would be awaiting her when she got there. _‘Nothing good.’_

Picking up her pace once more she rounded the corner, hurrying towards the gate at a brisk pace. Guards were everywhere and she had to shout for several of them to move out of her way. Obviously whatever had happened here was causing them to be distressed. Her presence down here alone was starting to cause a buzz, given the facial expressions of many of the guards. 

Before she even saw the damages she could already tell it was severe, and when she did see it she was as shocked as everyone else. As the crowd around her moved, she immediately went wide eyed at the state the gate was in. The hole was easily large enough for a rhino to fit comfortably through. Chucks of the ground were strewn about as well. Splinters of wood littered the street, anything that had been near had been blown back. Broken carts, barrels, fish stands, all of it was either damaged or knocked over. She made carefully chosen steps as she moved through the street when her paw encountered something warm and wet, squishing beneath her toes. She looked down, already suspecting what she would find there. 

 _‘Blood….’_ It was obvious from the significant amount that this was from a deep wound. As she glanced around there was a noticeable trail of bloody paw prints starting from the alleyway. Moving closer she saw there were several mammals already assessing the damages done there The magic here was faint, but she imagined this to be the origin of the first two magical bursts. There was quite a bit of blood here. It was smeared on the broken pieces of glass, there were puddles along the wall, as though he had spent time standing there, bleeding. The smell of iron was something she was long used to by now, still, it made her nose wrinkle with disgust. 

“Captain Hopps!” Judy looked over as a rhino approchered her, a very panicked expression on his face. She knew him well as the Captain of the City Guards, a rather proud and arrogant male. There was a hint of annoyance that flattened over her face, irked at not being addressed by her full title from some-mammal ranked beneath her. 

“Guard Captain McHorn.” She regarded him with a cool expression, acting unphased by the obvious chaos around them. There were some guards who had suffered injury from the explosion, other’s sat shaking their heads from the ringing in their ears. Obviously they hadn’t been able to handle what had happened here. While this was a rather unique occurrence, she would have thought they’d be better trained to deal with magic. “Where is the culprit?” 

“I’m sorry to inform you that he escaped into the forest. I’m putting together a party to go after him as we speak, I will personally drag the criminal back myself. There is no need for you to concern yourself with such a lowly thief.” His words came across as fumbled, like he was grasping at straws to hold onto. Embarrassed? Maybe. Not wanting to be shown up by her, specifically? Much more likely. 

“No, I will be going after him myself.” She made to move around him, but instead he blocked her path. It had seemed done on impulse, the look on his face when he did it looked stressed. Eyes wide as he stared her down. 

“What! You can’t go alone, this is an extremely dangerous mage! Allow me to deal with this!” Judy very slowly craned her head up at him, she wasn’t very fond of being told what to do. 

“I wasn’t suggesting it Captain McHorn, I’m telling you. I will be going alone. So order your guards to **stand down!** ” Her eyes had narrowed into sharp glints of purple, her paws were firmly gripped on either side of her, taking on an immovable stance. 

McHorn visibly gulped in a nervous breath of air, unsure of what to do. While most people saw Judy’s Blessed Knight rank and respected it as such, there were still those that needed to be reminded that she was above them all. Her orders were final. 

“Understood, Blessed Captain…” McHorn tentatively laid a hoof on his chest and gave a slight head nod in defeat, before slowly moving aside to let her through. Several of the guards moved out of her way then, not wanting to be told off as she headed straight for the what was left of the gate. 

The damage up close was severe, but not without the option for repairs. She reached down and picked up a piece of wood to find it was still warm from the blast. The powerful release of magic had thickly permeated the air here. Only those sensitive to magic would be able to feel it though. There was no doubt that every magic user in the city had been able to feel this. The palace would be in a buzz in the days to come with rumours. Here in the heart of it Judy felt herself becoming a little overwhelmed. No one could have predicted that Nick’s magic would ever grow this strong…and this had just been an uncontrollable release of it. 

_‘When he’s able to wield it with purpose whose to stay how strong he’ll become.’_

Tossing the bit of wood aside, her gaze shifted towards the forest. A breeze blew in from the lapping waves in the harbor. Carried on the wind was the saltiness of the sea, but she also caught a whiff of more blood. _‘He can’t be in a very good state, he’s lost too much blood. I’m close now, he won’t get very far with his body like this.’_ The idea of seeing Nick no longer caused her to be anxious. There was a feeling of relief that she would be able to help him and she wanted to do that more than anything. To redeem herself in his eyes was something she had begun to realize that she wanted. While she couldn’t apologize for her actions in service to her Queen, she could help Nick to see her as more than some-mammal to fear. Arisa said that their futures laid side by side. This couldn’t be the end, it was just the beginning. 

 _‘Just hold on Nick…’_ The calmness she felt as she took off into the grassy field was coupled with a sense of compassion. The trail of blood she followed grew stronger as she drew closer, bringing back other times in her life where she had to fight to protect some-mammal. At some point fear and nerves fade away and you’re left feeling nearly emotionless. Duty becomes first above all else and your own life no longer plays a part in your thoughts. It was those feelings that guided Judy as she broke through the tree line. 

Here she slowed her movements down to something you could barely call a crawl. Her breathing became as smooth as a whisper over the air. Movements slight, toes curling into the damp dirt, barely a crunch of a leaf to be heard as she hopped from one spot to the other. She honed her skills into being as silent as the shadows around her, slinking her body underneath bushes and over logs. There was little to be known about what state she would find Nick in. She needed to be prepared for the worst, yet hopeful for the best. 

Her paws brushed against something soft, cloth. Tentatively she sniffed at it to find it dense with Nick’s scent. Sweat, blood, and the saltiness of tears. He must have discarded it, unknowingly letting her know it wouldn't be much further now. 

Her body stiffened when her ears picked up the murmur of voices in the distance. She had not expected to come across anyone other than Nick out here in the dark. The trail of blood lead in that direction, so it would seem that Nick himself wasn’t alone. It was a hard thing for her, not jumping to conclusions about what that could mean, as she would have done in the past. It was even more frustrating to find the patience within herself to not quicken her pace in hope of getting there sooner. Nick himself was beyond being able to pick up on her subtle movements. There was no telling if this newcomer would be able to sense her coming. 

 **_“The letter in my window…”_ **Nick’s voice became clear, bringing Judy to a stop. She would be able to listen comfortably from here. There was a significant relief that Nick was still alive and conscious, but she had to wonder for how long that would last in his current condition. 

 _“_ **_That would mean you’re the one who hired me for the job, stealing the mage’s heart stone._ ** _”_ Judy’s eyes flashed in realization as to who this was. 

 _“_ **Yes again, you’re quick. I am a servant to my Lord** **Diramus Grimwolf Fangmar** **, King of Dostringar.** _”_ Her blood surged hot in immediate loathing. It had been a long time since she had been this close to an agent of Fangmar. To think they had been inside her city this whole time, the thought drove her to get closer; discarding the need for caution. She needed to see who this mammal was, get a good look at their face. While she knew in her sensible mind that capturing this mammal would be the best course of action, a part of her wanted to rip them apart. 

It was agonizing for her to move so slowly as she felt desperate now. Her reason argued that this agent would be able to feel her coming if she wasn’t careful enough. So she stayed on her current path, gaining ground inch by inch. She breathed in deeply, bringing her heartbeat down, she felt inside herself for her blessed powers. Taking them under her control Judy shoved her powers as far down into the depths of herself as possible. Pushing their presence to the brink of being unnoticeable by anyone who would seek to look. 

 **“What do you expect to do, you never got the heartstone and it’s beyond my capabilities to get it for you now. You’re out of luck, so either kill me here or crawl back to your** **_master_ ** **.”**

_‘Nick, don’t be stupid!’_

**“You misunderstood the message, I’m not here t** **_o kill_ ** **you…** **_‘_ ** **_For what a stone was worth, you now possess. We’ll come to take what has been promised.’_ ** **”**

The agent didn’t have to explain the meaning of those words for Judy to understand what they meant. She listened along with Nick as she finally came into view of the two mammals. 

**“You have Saphielle Yllaries’ magic inside of you, we no longer need the heart stone.”**

**“How do you know that?”** She could hear Nick’s voice trembling, either from his physical pain or emotional fear. Now things were falling into place for them and it was an eye opening despair that they had been pawns in a larger plan this entire time. Judy watched with large eyes, the shape of purple orbs, as the badger before her changed into a zebra. To have such strong magic, and yet Judy didn’t feel a thing when they did it. 

 _‘I can’t believe Fangmar has mages of this caliber. I can’t get a read on them at all, it’s as though they aren’t even really there…’_ Judy chewed on her bottom lip, nose twitching, hanging onto every word the agent spoke. How she wanted to spring into action, cut them down where they stood. Instead she listened and soaked in every ounce of info she could. It was hard to watch Nick lying there, the expression on his face looked like a mammal that had been broken in body and spirit. Even in all the days and weeks he had spent as her prisoner never had he made such a defeated face. 

When Judy saw the zebra change back into the badger she began to steel herself to leap out from her hiding spot. There was no way Nick would be in any shape to fight back against this threat. The blood in the air here was sickeningly pungent. Nick had lost too much, leaving himself vulnerable. As she watched his eyes flutter Judy knew he was near the end of his consciousness. 

_‘Hold on Nick...just a little longer...please…’_

**“...you already bear our King’s marker, it was always meant to be this way....”** She watched the badger fondled the necklace lovingly in their paw. It made Judy uneasy to see it in the paws of the enemy knowing what it used to be a symbol of. 

When she saw the strange animal caress Nick’s cheek, so slow and gentle,  an ominous intention that cut through Judy’s senses. It was like the bells of the city going off inside her head. Suddenly there was no focus holding her back, no strategy, just instinct...and it was screaming danger. 

On pure impulse Judy leaped from the bushes. She threw her paw out before her in a wide arc. The small amethyst ring on her digit glowed as her sword shimmered to life in her paw. It quickly materialized into cold, hard, brilliant shining steel as he clutched in a knuckle popping grip. Going off pure emotion her powers shot forth through her body as she channeled it all into one solid strike from her sword. Her movements were so quick that the badger never had a chance to dodge the attack. Blue light sliced across the small clearing and hit the badger solidly, sending them flying into the nearest cluster of trees. She watched the badger fall in a heap to the ground before taking her eyes off them. 

“Nick!” Judy sprinted to where he lay, falling to her knees unable to fully believe what she was seeing. From afar she hadn’t realized just how badly he was hurt and she felt herself begin to fret when she saw the horrific state he was in. The warm orange color of his fur was barely recognizable underneath the grime and blood. She tentatively reached out to him, unsure if she should touch him or not. Her own paw shook when she brushed the soft leather of his sleeve. “Nick…” His eyes slowly blinked at her, but there was no sign he actually saw her, let alone recognized her. He blinked a few more times, then his breathing became ragged just before his dim green eyes rolled back into this skull, and then he was gone. 

“No!” A pang of terror shot through her as she pushed her ear forward against his chest. Even with her hearing there were several long agonizing seconds before she heard the sound of his heart beat. It was faint, but there… “Hang on…”

Judy wanted to do more for him, but she knew that right now he couldn’t be her main priority. She trusted that Bogo would have Gazelle here soon, that would have to be enough. For now there was a larger more immediate threat that she needed to take care of. Looking up she could see the agent rising to their feet. 

“You are impressive, I wasn’t able to detect you until it was too late. You Blessed Knights truly live up to your reputation.” The badger casually dusted off their robes, seemingly now unaffected by the blast. 

“That attack was supposed to knock you out.” Judy rose herself, putting her body between the badger and Nick. She wasn’t going to let them take him, nor did she have any intention of allowing them to escape. There were too many questions that she needed answers for; as quickly as things were falling into place, so too were more questions arising. 

The two stood across from each other, Judy raised her sword loosely behind her, digging her feet into the cool earth. She regarded the badger with cool confidence, there was no doubt in her mind about the outcome of this fight.  

“We don’t have to do this, my business is not with you, only him.” 

“You’re here in my country, that makes everything you do with him my business. This night will not end well for you I’m afraid.” There was a smirk that touched the corner of her mouth as she saw how the badger was trying to back out of this. “If you think you’re escaping tonight without a fight, you’re dead wrong.” Without any warning signs Judy leapt forward into action. She held her sword just slightly under her, able to use the momentum of her speed to swing up at the taller mammal. It came as a small surprise when the badger was able to quickly produce a staff to block her. 

“I don’t want to fight you.” The badger leapt back, avoiding the following slice from Judy’s sword aimed across their waist. 

“Because you know I won’t lose!” She brought her sword up over her head and brought it down in a vertical slash. Another blast of electric blue energy flew from the steel, headed dead center for the badger. They were able to bring their staff up just in time to throw up a magical shield that absorbed her attack. The force of Judy’s blow, even when blocked, managed to shove the mammal back several paces. 

There was little time to waste and Judy made every second count. Without giving the badger a chance to think she rushed forward. Up close like this Judy wasn’t able to produce the devastating magical attacks, but her sword skills were nothing to be taken lightly. She was quicker, more agile, and her sword hit the mage’s staff in sharp rapid strikes. The cacophony of metal against wood rang in both their ears as it took all of the badgers focus to keep up with her. Their bodies moved at a rapid pace, every hit and connect was in reaction instead of thought. Every time the badger’s staff struck her Judy rushed to counter, sometimes she cut flesh, other times air. 

A small unexpected push back came from the badger, they planted their back paws into the dirt, holding their ground. With both front paws firmly grasping their staff they pushed down, using their height and weight to try and hold Judy in place. They freed up one paw, holding it up above Judy’s face. Judy watched in surprise as that paw began to glow purple. It steadily formed an orb that gave off the stench of corruption and rot. It burned her nose and made her eyes start to water. She knew she would have to avoid this and quick, or she would end up with a huge patch of grossly burnt fur. 

Judy wildly pulled herself backwards, wrenching herself free, causing the badger to stumble forward a bit. She twisted her body into several quick backflips, creating a fair distance between them. Landing firmly on her back legs, Judy braced herself just in time, sword held out flat, when the mage finally released their orb. Channeling some of her power into her sword she was able to use it as a shield, blocking the orb, changing its direction and sending it sky bound into the trees. After the first orb the badger started an endless onslaught of them. It forced Judy into the defense, having to dodge, but she still needed to be mindful of Nick lying defenseless behind her. Blocking them one after another, the defiled magic shot off in every direction, wizzing and zinging through the air. The ones that struck the earth and trees sizzled and spit, a taste of what was to happen should Judy miss one. 

 _‘I need to end this! And soon!’_ Judy stole a quick glance at Nick, she was no longer sure if he was breathing. 

A brief pause from the badger gave Judy the opening she needed to strike the mage with another impressive blast of her blessed powers. This time she put the whole of her body behind the attack, positioning the sword as if it were being pulled from a sheath. As she channeled her powers into the attack the entirety of herself began to glow. The energy leaping off her in waves of light, like living blue flames engulfing her body. Even her brilliant purple eyes shone blue with an otherworldly light. 

The badger, for the first time that night, widened their eyes in worry. A spasm of fear crept up over their skin, gritting their teeth, knowing there was nowhere to run to. They hurriedly raised their staff, prepared to shield themselves as they had before. 

 _‘Pointless.’_ Excitement touched her face when she took note of the terror in the badger’s eyes. 

Her body rushed forward as though she herself were lightning. The force that she produced shook the trees around them and created a vortex of wind as it hit the badger. It shattered their shield, creating the sound and effect of broken glass, as the pieces dispersed into the air. The badger was hurled backwards into the tree, throwing off splinters of bark at the impact. There was little doubt that they would be getting back up from that, looking at the huddled state of them twitching on the ground. 

Approaching them Judy still felt cautious, her sword was gripped at the ready. The wind must have been blown out of them as they gasped and coughed, blood smeared on the edge of their muzzle. 

“Give up. You cannot win this fight.” Judy’s armor looked almost luminous when the bits of moonlight danced over it. The silhouette she created was dazzling as she stood there victorious. Her sword was held out straight and steady, tip mere inches from the badgers face.

“You’ll gain nothing from me rabbit.” 

“We’ll just have to see how long your convictions last.” Judy’s face had not faltered from the composed indifference she had started this fight with. Her eyes still held the hint of blue from her powers; as the light hit them they took on the hue of stars. 

“Longer than yours I’m sure.” The badger was bent over on their knees, arms crossed over the stomach. An eerie smile plastered over their bloody muzzle. They gazed dead ahead at Judy, their own strange red eyes wide and roused. Face to face like this the badger’s appearance was like dead skin, pale and blotchy. The raw red lines around their eyes and mouth resembled bloody cuts. It was a sight to give a mammal haunted dreams, and it was a sight she never got used to seeing on the faces of the corrupted. How wrong they looked...like they weren’t even mammals anymore. 

“What?” 

The badger sprang forward, claws coming at Judy’s throat, their paws producing that same purple glow as the orb. This time though instead of moving back Judy lurched forward to meet them, grabbing underneath and gripping the badgers wrist. Judy’s paw glowed a faint blue and suddenly the badger felt their magic being suppressed. The attack faded from their paw, the badgers magic disappeared until they felt as though they had nothing left in them. 

“W-what did you do to me!” Like a backblow suddenly the full extent of Judy’s ability hit them. The badger fell limply over, now on all fours, but Judy’s kept a tight hold on them. 

“I’ve suppressed your magic. You’ve lost.” 

“Captain!” 

“Captain!!!” 

Judy’s ears picked up the familiar voices and she breathed a sigh of relief. Her body felt warm and sweat fell through her fur. She hadn’t realized how tense she had truly been till now. Their voices allowed her to relax a bit. 

 “I’m over here!” In a moment Bogo and Gazelle broke through the small tree line.

“Captain!” Gazelle, in full mage armor with her staff already drawn, made to move towards her, but then she spotted Nick. A gasp escaped her, she instinctively went for him. 

“No! Here, I need you to cuff this one first.” As with all her orders there was no hesitation as Gazelle did as she was told. Coming over to where they knelt on the ground Gazelle set to work. While she was a wind mage, she did have other small handy spells that she was proficient at. One of those was the creation of magical cuffs, they would physically bind them as well as continue to suppress any magic the bearer had. 

“It seems you handled this well enough all on your own.” Gazelle raised an eyebrow at her as she used two digits, glowing a soft yellow color, and slowly moved them around the badgers wrist in an infinity symbol. Two glowing yellow rings formed around the badgers wrist and held them together.

 “I didn’t have Bogo bring you here for me, this badger was easy enough to subdue, but thank you.” Judy let their wrist go, allowing the agent to fall the rest of the way to the ground. Without their magic the badger was considerably weakened in body and will. They were still conscious, but made no attempt to run. “It’s Nick, you saw the shape he’s in. I’m not sure if he’ll make it.” The both of them looked to Nick. Bogo was beside him now, looking down over his motionless figure. He was still alive, chest just barely rising in tiny shallow breaths. 

Gazelle, coming to sit by his side, gently looked him over. Her face visibly wincing as she looked at his bloody wounds. Out of all of the Blessed Knights Gazelle was the kindest, most warm heart, and her empathy was boundless. She was often told that her heart was too gentle for the duties of a Blessed Knight. The things they saw and the things they did were more often than not, bloody. Despite that Gazelle never lost herself in the sadness or pain. She always found a way to move forward with a smile. Even when her virtues were tested Judy had never seen her falter to do what was best for the kingdom, even if it meant breaking her own heart. 

Judy watched as Gazelle lifted Nick’s paw to her hoof, the palms flattened together. It was a very soft and intimate touch, and Nick looked so vulnerable as she did it. Gazelle closed her eyes as a soft green glow kindled between their palms.

“Oh Captain, he is badly hurt inside...this magic of his is like fire, searing his magic channels. I’ve never seen anything like this.” Gazelle’s face twisted a bit in a sting of pain. “I can feel a small bit of his pain, and it’s...it’s like an inferno raging inside of his body...” Gazelle cracked her honey colored eyes, looking to Nick with pity. The glow faded as the connection broke. “I can’t believe he made it all the way out here liked that. He’s will must be strong indeed to survive this.” Reaching towards his face Gazelle ran a digit over the cut above Nick’s eye. A green light emitted from her and filled the cut. It shimmered for a moment and when it stopped the cut was still there, but instead of raw angry muscle it was a light grey color. Not healed, but starting too. “There isn’t much I can do for him here besides easing the pain. We need to get him to Healer Yennin, he’s the only one who can fix this.” 

“He’s not going to like being woken in the middle of the night, but he is the best we've got.” Judy wasn’t looking forward to this visit. 

“I actually banged on his door on the way out. I knew those magical outburst would be something like this, I just didn’t know how bad. But you’re right. He wasn’t happy. We’re all going to get an ear full when we arrive.” She held her hooves out over the rest of Nick’s body, a green light surrounded them, glimmering with warmth. The healing magic gently rained down on Nick’s body. The drops of green hit his fur, splattering and soaking down into his skin. The magic would give him a temporary relief, it could fix nothing. 

“Perfect.” Judy’s voice was soaked with sarcasm, as she pinched the bridge of her nose, shaking her head. 

“Even he’ll have difficulty with this one.” Bogo stood up to his full height as Gazelle gingerly took Nick into her arms. “I’ll get that.” He nodded towards the badger.

Judy rolled her eyes at him, “Yeah...you do that, it’s not like I could lug them anywhere.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woohoo! Wasn't that fun!?!? Let me know what you guys thought in the comment sections!


	8. Night's End

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shorter chapter, but I hope you all still enjoy it! Yennien was a really fun character to create and write for, you'll be seeing a lot of him in the future! Please leave a comment and let me know what you enjoyed about this chapter!
> 
> Shout out to my awesome team of beta readers! Tandiian and Tarathiel!

A Mage’s Heart

Chapter Seven: Night’s End

 

“Yennien!!! Judy shouted out as she slammed the door open, causing it to rattle against the hard stone wall, nearly throwing it off its hinges. Gazelle hurriedly followed behind her, Nick clutched tightly in her arms, barely a breath left in his lungs. “Yennien!” Judy called again upon not immediately seeing him. The healing hall was mostly empty save for a few nurse aids scurrying about and some scattered patients fast asleep in their beds. They had come straight here, whereas Bogo had left them to deliver the badger to the dungeons. Judy had also tasked Bogo with taking Nick’s satchel and all of its contents into holding until Judy could properly go over them. 

“I’m here, no need to shout!” A white tailed deer came around the corner of a cream colored separation sheet. He yawned loudly while scratching the fur near one of his antlers. He glowered at his company over the top of a pair of spectacles. Not angrily, just that of a tired old buck who had been woken up from a halfway decent nap. Being the best healer this side of Furosie he was a very busy buck. Never having much time to himself, Yennien cherished the quiet moments gathered between the arrivals of the near dying and the half living. “Waking me during the witching hour and then making me wait! This mammal better be dying.” 

“Nearly, and he needs your attention now!” There was a touch of franticness in Judy’s voice that Yennien wasn’t used to hearing. It wasn’t the first time Judy had come banging on his doors in the wee hours of the morning. Usually it was a trainiee that had done something stupid. This though, the way Judy’s body moved, and the way she looked between him and the fox held tightly in Gazelle’s arms. The way her eyes were shaking as her nose twitched made it clear this wasn’t an ordinary case. 

“Hmmm…” Yennien took it all in with narrowed eyes, and a pursed mouth. 

He was old, gruff, and roughly dressed in a comfortable tunic and breeches. An apron that had seen better days was tied around his waist. Most healers opted to wear a set of lavish green robes, and Yennien liked to say that those healers never did any real healing besides treating noble mammals’ headaches and runny noses. Real healing was as bloody as it was exhausting, and Yennien had seen enough of it to last him a lifetime. Here in these halls there wasn’t much he hadn’t seen. As a young buck though, out on the border, he had seen things that even after a lifetime he would never be able to forget. 

The healer’s hall was a long but wide brick building, made to house patients of all species and sizes. The tall walls were lined end to end with huge clear windows that stretched upwards nearly to the ceiling, allowing in natural light during the day. At night, the rows of large crystals that hung from the high vaulted ceiling cast a warm yellow light down on them. Smaller crystals embedded in the walls closer to the floor glowed almost like fireflies in the stone. A variety of medicinal plants and herbs hung suspended along the central and side rafters. Lively green vines ran along the windows, keeping the air inside fresh and crisp. The subtle scents of peonies and lavender, sage and licorice, added a light taste to the air. These readily available plants allowed for easy gathering as well as being able to mix quick remedies at the bedside as needed. The beds, all in varying sizes, allowed for all patients seen here to lay comfortably, from the tiniest mouse to the largest elephant, separated by thick cream curtains. Wheeled ladders and stairs also made sure that Yennien and his staff were able to treat every mammal in need. There was no better place in the city for Nick to be than here. 

“Bring him over here. We’ve had a bed prepared, for some time now mind you.” Yennien took a moment to button up his sleeves and rinsed his hooves off in a nearby water basin. 

“There was a delay, your patience is appreciated.” 

“Yes, thank you.” Gazelle laid Nick down on the white bedsheets as gently as she could. His chest barely rose, and small wheezes passed through his slack muzzle. His throat sounded scorched and sweat still formed on his brow. Even in his passed out state his eyes pinched together in pain. “He’s in terrible shape Yennien, I don’t know how much longer he’ll hold on.” Gazelle’s voice was calm, but every mammal in the room could hear it shake. Yennien glanced over at her, having heard her voice, knowing that unlike Judy she could see beyond the surface of skin. Her face was strained, hooves a barely visible shake as she smoothed the fur on Nick’s cheek. Blood smeared over her armor was fresh, staining the white cloth of her sleeves. 

He sighed, “If he’s made it this long than he can wait a little longer.” He dried his hooves on his apron as he walked over to meet them. He could clearly see that Judy’s jaw was set so tight that it caused her teeth to grind harshly, it was a slight amusement to know he was testing her patience. 

“Hold onto your nobgins Captain, it’s going to be a long night, I’ve got time to spare.” He smirked down at her as he stood next to the bed. Reaching down underneath the it he turned a small wooden knob that raised the bed a little higher for his comfort. “So, let’s see what kind of mess you’ve brought for me this time.” 

There was silence as Yennien leaned over the bed, hooves on his hips, mouth moving from time to time in deep observation. He rolled Nick over to see the cut on his back, and maneuvered his arms and legs, making sure to take note of every cut and scrape. 

“Hmmm…” Nick’s breathing was still so shallow, one could barely tell if he was breathing at all. Yennien moved around to Nick’s feet, picking up one of his back paws and seeing the state they were in. “Terrible, terrible; what a state this is.” 

“He’s had a long night.” It was all Judy could say in response, her nose was sent into twitches as her ears flicked in annoyance, and her foot patted the floor from time to time. She wanted this hurried along, to be given answers to the severity of what only her eyes could see. “I think his insides are far worse than the rest of him.” 

“You don’t say.” He eyed her over his glasses, only to see Judy rolling hers. “I could feel those magical blasts as well as you two. They were no laughing matter. Honestly speaking, after the throne room, I’d wondered when he was going to turn up on my table.” He picked up Nick’s left paw, turning it face up to see the grey scar along his paw pad. Turning it back over he parted the fur there to see the exit scar. If one looked closely you could see that no fur grew along the skin there. Yennien made several disgruntled noises, his face set to an irritated expression to match. “Arisa, that witch, not an ounce of finesse in her.” He and Arisa had never gotten along, and whenever they were in the same room all they did was bicker at one another. 

“She’s not a witch.” Gazelle chidded at him softly. 

“Ugh...I could have done a much cleaner job. I’m sure she got some sick enjoyment out of cutting him open like this.” 

While Yennien was a master healer, able to mend broken bones and gashes, his true skill actually lay in treating magical injuries; the wounds inflicted on the insides that only his eyes could see. He was good at what he did, very good. Treating mages with out of control magic, blocked or raw channels, wounds caused by another’s ill-placed blast. Being able to manipulate the magic within a mammal was where Yennin’s ability was really put to its greatest use. That day in the throne room he would have been able to gently peel back the layers of Nick’s magical core until he was able to coax the magic out slowly, naturally, but it would have taken hours...and there hadn’t been the time for such kindness. 

“Can we focus here, please?” Judy’s foot began to thump unconsciously on the marble floor, too loud to be ignored. 

“Yes, you should first check his magical channels. I was able to a little, but they were horribly raw and sensitive. It was hard for me to stay connected to him for very long.” Gazelle tried to stir the conversation back to the delicate matter at present. 

“Fine, wake me up and can’t even be bothered to hold a conversation.” Judy gritted her teeth again, biting her tongue and her words. 

Yennien grumbled a bit more, rolling his shoulders before extending his hooves over Nick’s body. He closed his eyes, focusing himself into the right state of mind. When he opened them again the soft brown had turned into swirls of glowing gold. From his hooves the same rich yellow light began to form and a small whining sound hummed through the air. The light spilled down in shimmering waves, cascading over Nick’s entire body and enveloping him from head to toes. In this way Yennien was able to establish a line that allowed him to freely explore the magical channels in Nick’s body. 

Judy watched, having retrieved a stool for height, as even Nick’s insides flushed golden on his cheeks down to his toe digits. The light moved, pulsing through Nick’s magical pathways, connecting his whole body in a flow of continuous magical feedback. Through this connection Yennien was able to experience the chaotic fire that raged through Nick for himself. He had to endure the feelings of torn apart walls and the scorching of fresh magical channels. Yennien could almost see the mangled ugly sores that were left in the wake of new raw magic. Channels that had been blocked were suddenly forced open, wide and surging with potential. Being connected to Nick was like walking into blazing flames, accidentally breathing them in too deeply, feeling the fire inside him. Never before had he bore witness firsthand to such a disastrous state of magical awakening. Nick’s body and soul were in a wretched state that even Yennien knew couldn't be healed overnight.  

Yennien stayed like this for for several minutes, his eyes never blinking, his body as still as stone. When the glow faded, Yennien’s eyes changed back to brown, and he let out an exasperated sigh. Sweat had begun to pool on his forehead, trickling down over his face, and he wiped his chin to keep it from dripping. Yennien’s nostrils flared a little as he took deep breaths to try and fill his lungs with the cool air of the building; he bore the heat of Nick’s power as though it were his own. 

“As I thought, his channels are riddled with magical burns from being torn wide open by that witch. They are pushing out tremendous amounts of power. He’s body just isn’t able to keep up with it.” Yennien straightened up, placing his hooves on his hips. “His magical core is scorched to pieces, he hasn’t been properly aligned, and to top it all off the amount of magic surging wildly through him is enough to blow this whole city to shit! Where he acquired so much of it in this day and age is beyond me. He should have never been allowed to leave the palace. How in the hell he’s still alive I’ve no idea. Those magical outbursts saved his life no doubt, that’s for damn sure. If he hadn’t shot off a couple of rounds his magic would have exploded out of him and we’d all be dead.”

Judy and Gazelle slowly blinked at him, not sure what to say. They had both expected bad news, but this was a lot to take in.

“He’s damn near close to death as is, look.” Yennien grabbed a white cloth off the shelf, ripping it off the stack so roughly it caused the rest of them to fall to the floor. Parting Nick’s shirt open he wiped the clean cloth through the white of the fur there. Nick hadn’t been injured here, but when Yennien pulled the cloth back the white fur had turned a pinkish color. The cloth too had a red smear on it. “If you look closely you can see blood is being pushed out through his pores. I’ve never seen a magical build up this extreme. It’s tearing him apart from the inside out. Four days, it’s only been four days and it would have killed him tonight. Not even in late bloomers, who usually have more built up in them already, have I seen this sort of damage. This...it’s incredible really, but insane.” He looked down at the blood on the cloth and noticed his own hooves shaking. Not from fear, but for the excitement of being presented with a challenge.

Yennien took a step back, looking at Nick with a wide eyed expression of amazement. “A mage of Saphielle, hu? Who would have thought.” There was a moment of total silence as the three of them stared down at Nick. No one could have guessed that the events that took place in the throne room that day would have led to this. Such power in the body of a fox who otherwise couldn’t have fathomed holding onto a power so great it would shake the country. The things they would have to explain to him when he woke...

“What can be done?” Gazelle was the first to speak up, her face held a resolve to it. 

“I can siphon off some of his magic, keep it from building up until he’s strong enough to be aligned. As soon as he is able to stand on his own that must be what comes first. It’ll go a long way to allowing him to heal faster.” 

“Aligned?” Judy had heard the term before, but didn’t know much about it. While she herself did possess something comparable to magic, it’s core wasn’t the same. Gazelle answered.

“For a mage, being aligned means to center their magical core with the rest of their body, heart, soul, and the natural energy residing in all living things. Nick’s magical core is currently ‘crooked’ as you would call it, so there is no steady flow. His magic is just building up in his center with nowhere to go. That’s what’s causing the unintentional use and bursts of power. Getting him aligned now will allow for an even flow throughout his body.” 

“I see…” Judy nodded in the simple understanding that it was probably a lot more complicated than that. 

“Basically.” Yennien motioned towards one of the nearby rabbit nurses. “Let’s get to work then. He’s body is too weak to withstand quick healing, he has no energy to spare. We’ll patch him up and give him some medicine to allow for easier natural healing.” 

“Is there anything I can do?” Gazelle was eager to be of use. 

“Help me strip him, I want to see all his wounds.” They nodded to each other in agreement, and Gazelle gingerly set to work lifting Nick’s arms and then his torso. Yennien had a less gentle tactic however as he roughly cut away at the thick leathers. Peeling off the clothing allowed them to see just how bloody and deep the wounds were.  

A rabbit nurse, Mitsy, as Yennien called her, wheeled a basin of clean warm water over to Gazelle. She set to work wiping off the dirt and dried blood, quickly turning the water crimson as she rung out the cloth. She worked on his feet carefully, wiping off the layers of filth. She was able to feel the bits of glass stuck in the meat of his paws.

Mitsy was prepared as she wheeled a set of steps to the bottom of the bed. “Allow me.” She climbed the small staircase with a shallow basin in one paw and tweezers in the other. She began picking out the glass, the tiny shards clinking as they fell into the metal tray. Fresh droplets of blood started oozing from the raw cuts. Yennien passed her gauze and a small bowl of thick green paste to smear on them. 

While they worked, the sound of small jingling bells rang out through the hall, catching all of their attention to look up. 

“Mail coming.” Yennien called it out just as a red squirrel, running along the rafter, entered into the hall through a hole in the wall.Throughout the palace, in most rooms that is, there was a tunnel system that small messenger mammals were able to utilize to do their jobs quicker. Bells were set in the walls to ring so that mammals below knew to expect them. Judy looked up, recognizing the squirrel as Arthur, the Queen’s personal messenger. He wore a purple scarf with an embroidered crest around his neck, Natia’s colors. 

“For you Blessed Captain Hopps.” Arthur dropped the letter he was carrying, allowing it to flutter down for Judy to catch easily. Without waiting for a response, he turned and scurried back out. 

“I guarantee you that’s bad news.” Yennien nodded towards the letter, bearing the Queen’s unbroken wax seal. There was a cracked grin on his face as Judy grumbled, breaking the seal and reading the contents.

“I’ve been summoned.” This was completely expected, and Judy wasn’t surprised, knowing full well that Natia would want a detailed explanation from her mouth personally. 

“Told you.” 

“Go. We can handle this.” Gazelle gave her a small smile. It reassured Judy to know that Nick would be in such caring hands. Too much had gone into rescuing him to see him die on the bed table. 

“Do what you can for him. We allowed this to happen, the least we can do is make sure he lives to get an explanation.” There was no shortage of guilt here too, for none of them had seen what was right in front of them, a power beyond measure that would rock this country to it’s very core. 

“He’ll live. Sure he’ll be in some pain for a while, but he’s got fight in him that’s for sure.” Yennien cracked a smile at her, despite the late hour he would never see a mammal suffer and die while he drew breath in this palace. 

“I’ll leave you to it then.” 

 

~~~

 

The healing hall was a separate building just off the palace entrance, a large tall structure with grand architecture to rival the palace itself. The starry sky was still pitch dark, but sunrise was now not far away. The early morning air was dewey, the dampness of it stuck to her cooled fur, and birds sung in the trees that she passed. 

Her summoning to the Queen’s chambers came as no surprise, she already knew what it was about. She would be expected to give an oral report of tonight’s events. While she’d done this many times before, tonight there was a small sick feeling in her stomach. No good news would greet Natia’s ears. It wouldn’t be a pleasant experience revealing that an agent had entered so far into the palace, gotten so close to her majesty, and there would be deep shame in Judy’s voice as she told of her such. 

The way to Natia’s chambers was silent, her own paws the only sound being heard as her nails clicked softly on the marbled floors. Lush royal curtains remained parted against windows that lined the hallway leading to the Queen’s chambers. Moonlight spotted along the floor in spurts at each window, with the darkness between lit by wall crystals. It would almost seem that the commotion caused by all the earlier activity had never happened. That said, there were more guards present now, standing silent as Judy hastened her steps down the halls until she reached the broad, carved doors of the Queen’s rooms. Turning the golden handle, which was carved like a blooming rose, she stepped inside to wait.

Inside Natia’s chambers were grand perfection with bright white walls gilded with large silhouettes of tigers dancing through silvery starry skies with full moons. The moulding was intricate, delicate, and gently carved with ornate clusters of golden roses and sweeping patterns. Judy was left  in a small waiting room just before her main bedchambers. I was separate and only used for any personal guests she would receive here; therefore quiet and away from any prying ears. Though there too were plush lavender satin sofas and chairs just as rich a sight as the entryway. Judy chose to stand at the ready, waiting for her Queen to appear. Paws tucked behind her back, steadying her breathing as little nervous flecks managed to crawl to the surface of her fast beating heart. Her feet rocking just slightly back and forth over the rich indigo of the velvety carpeting. 

The door creaked as it was opened by a boar guard and Natia entered. She was clothed in a purple silk robe, no baubles on her digits nor a crown nestled between her ears. She looked tired, but still as elegant as ever. She didn’t look to Judy once as she settled on a white rococo chaise. A sheep followed in after her, wheeling a cart that bore a silver serving set upon it with two neatly decorated bone china cups with saucers. Judy kept her face forward, back straight and her eyes calm as she waited to be addressed. 

“That’ll be all Amara, thank you.” Amara, the sheep, bowed politely and left them, closing the doors behind her. The room filled with the tiny clinks of a silver spoon tapping against a porcelain cup as Natia poured herself a cup of tea and sugared it. Again, silence overtook them as Natia shut her eyes and quietly sipped the still steaming cup. Gently, she set it back down on it’s tea plate. 

“It would seem you’ve had a busy night, Captain.” Natia opened her eyes, catching Judy with the vivid green of them.

“More than bargained for really.” 

“I’d have you fill me in. From what I’ve heard, a simple thieving incident turned into a giant hole in the lower west harbor gate.” Her expression was that of a female full of disappointment, Judy could feel it in her gaze and see it in the firmness of her muzzle. It wasn’t something she was familiar with. A small pit of sickness formed in her stomach. 

“Your information is correct, a blast left the harbor gate with a breach in it. Extra guards have been posted for security. Tomorrow will see preparations started to repair the damages.” 

“I see. And the cause?” Here Natia eyes’ narrowed, fixing Judy with a look that made Judy shiver. It was clear in her eyes that she already knew who was to blame, but she wanted to hear the name from Judy. 

“Nicholas Wilde.” Judy let her ears droop a bit, knowing the answer would lead to the explanation of how she was so well informed about his whereabouts. 

“Interesting, am I to assume he is also the thief?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”  A small snicker escaped Natia’s muzzle, breaking up the tension a bit. 

“It’s only been four days and he’s already back to work. So tell me, Captain, what has he been up to since he left us.” 

“Your Majesty...I-”

“I know you’ve been keeping spies on him!” Her voice raised to a higher pitch just under a yell. “Despite my orders for no one to interfere with him, you went behind my back with every intention to do so if and when you saw fit.” Natia sat regal with her back straight, eyes narrowed and bright as emeralds. Her soft anger left no room for Judy to argue. “I have always trusted your judgments, kept you as my dearest council and friend. Despite your best intentions on this matter, you never should have acted without my knowledge. If you truly believed me to be wrong, then you should have come to me personally.”

“My Queen.” Judy bowed her head deeply. “I apologize for my actions. They were born of guilt and fear. Feelings I should have expressed to you before acting on them.” There was a long silence that fell between them. Judy kept her head down, her jaw locking tight and the sting of regret prickling in her eyes. Never had she felt so ashamed with herself. 

“Raise your head, my friend.” Her voice met Judy’s ears with softness. Judy raised her head just enough to witness Natia letting out a low sigh, her eyes fluttering closed as she leaned back into the plush cushions. “Have a seat, and let’s talk...as we usually would.” Natia motioned to the chair nearest her. “Tea?” She reached forward pouring some into the remaining cup, which was decorated with a golden latticed pattern and painted roses along the sides of the cup and saucer, the rim lined with gold as well. 

“Thank you.” Judy reached forward, adding sugar and cream to hers, the rich citrusy smell of Ceylon wafted up toward her nose as she took the first sip. It was sweet and albeit refreshing. Judy sighed, relaxing in front of her Queen. She saw Natia smile at this as they both took another sip. Judy placed her cup on her saucer then, holding it on top of her lap.

“So, it would seem his magic has grown in his short absence from us.” 

“Exponentially.” 

“What do you think is happening? While the display in the throne room was impressive, I don’t recall any mention of it being abnormally so.” 

“I can’t be positive, but my suspicion is that he had much more magic buried beneath his core. What we saw at that time was just the surface of what his body could contain. Yennien says he has to be aligned. Who's to say how powerful he’ll become after that. Arisa has said that the fate of this country rests on his shoulders, but we have no idea what that means. Does it mean he’ll fight to save us? Or something more ominous? There is just so much we don’t know who or what he really is.” She rubbed her paw along the side of the teacup, feeling the warmth of it. 

“Only time will tell.” Natia reached forward to once more take up her cup of tea. “Now, I’d ask you to tell me, in your own words, what transpired this night. I’ve already read a hasty report from Captain McHorn, but I’m sure you have more to tell.” 

“Much more and none of it good, Your Majesty. I bring it to you with a heavy worry.” Judy took a deep breath, seating her cup on the table before her. 

“Tell me.”

Judy started from the beginning of the sounding of the bells. These things Queen Natia was already aware of; the thieving, the chase, the gate. When her story mentioned the magical outbursts and the feelings that came with them; Natia’s ear and long fluffy tail flick in curiosity at this. She held onto every word, intently listening to the story unfolding before her. Judy didn’t skip a detail. She described the fear that slowly became overwhelming with every new burst. Intense enough to swallow a mammal in despair if they allowed it. What Yennien had depicted as scorched magical channels burning him from the inside out. Judy’s words vividly described the damages done in the alleyway and the gate; telling of the bloody paw prints on the cobbled street. 

“I’m surprised to hear he can already be so destructive. So much magic in such a small fox, his pain, I can’t imagine feeling it so intently.” There was sympathy in her eyes as she cast them down to the floor. 

“Time and training will heal him. Right now it’s all out of his control. Once he learns to harness it at will he surely will be a force to be reckoned with.” Judy paused, then further recounted Yennien’s concern over the damage that nearly could have been. She noticed the Queen’s brow furrow for but a moment at this possibility.

From there the rest of the story took on a more serious tone as Judy recalled her confrontation with the agent of Fangmar, as well as Nick’s physical deteriorating state. While they had discovered agents in the castle before it was the proximity to the Queen that shook them. Every time an agent slipped past them new measures were taken to insure detection, somehow this one had gotten into the very heart of the palace. As with Nick, this badger heated a deep anger inside of Judy, one that Natia herself sensed growing in her. 

“I’m so sorry Your Majesty. It's my job to keep you safe and yet, they were right outside the throne room…I can’t help thinking of the possibilities had their intentions been otherwise.” Her paws were gripped in nail biting grips, clutched on her knees as she closed her eyes in disgrace.

“It is an unsettling thought, but as we’ve said in the past...Dostringar always seems to be just one step ahead of us. We thwart one attempt and then they find a new way in. We must stay vigilant in the days and months to come.” Despite the words of reassurance Judy was able to hear the uneasiness in them. 

“That’s not all…” Natia looked up and Judy caught her gaze with narrowed eyes, her voice lowering to almost hollow. “... _‘For what a stone was worth, you now possess. We’ll come to take what has been promised.’_...It’s what the agent said to Nick. They wanted to take him back to their King.” She looked away, shifting her gaze away from Natia, a pit forming in her throat. “I don’t want to jump to conclusions, but I’m also hesitant to to reveal what I believe it’s meaning to be.”

“They wanted the heartstone, but now they want Nick. If they were outside the throne room we can assume they now know he is Saphille’s descendent. They believe him to possess her powers. Heaven’s help us...can this get any worse?” She placed her paw over her eyes, closing them and leaning back into the chies. 

“But that’s impossible! He wasn’t able to bring her out of her heartstone, he gained nothing from her. Sure, his power is great, but Saphille is said to have been the strongest mage there was or ever will be. Her power is legendary. Even being her descendant he can’t measure up to her!” Judy’s voice had raised into a near yell before she realized she was doing so. 

“Everything you say is true, absolutely true, but that doesn’t change the fact that they believe his power to be enough...enough for whatever it is they’re scheming. If their shifting their attention to him then we can assume they’ll try again.” 

“And we’ll be ready.” Natia lifted the paw over her eyes, catching the fire of determination in Judy’s eyes. Passion and hate lay there, cast in the hard lined expression on Judy’s face. 

“I trust you. I know you’ll keep us safe.” 

“I just wish we knew what it was they wanted, what their goal is. They’ve been getting bolder these last few years and I don’t believe it to just be for revenge or the lust of war. The growing number of agents we find is troubling. And yet…” Judy chewed her bottom lip as she thought. “Attacks on the villages and towns nearest the border used to be a common occurrence, but lately there have been less. I’d say they’ve grown bored, or perhaps...”

“Gathering their resources. Saving their numbers for a calm before the storm.” Natia completed Judy’s train of thought with a somber tone. It was a reality that no one wanted to admit, but it seemed the most likely explanation. “Steeling their numbers, infiltrating not only the very heart of Furosie, but Mystopolica as well, for an advantage we have yet to grasp...I fear for the worst in the days to come.” Judy’s ears perked up at the name. 

“Has there been word from Mystopolica?” While their alliance with the great country to the west sat on a friendly note, as a whole, they remained a mystery in many ways. True enough, they shared in export and allowed for trade, and there were many of the palace residents who hailed from there. Mystopolica left many things unknown to them; a land of secrets amongst friends. The mysterious nation's enchanted machinizations were without any known equal, as they were able to combine the magical world with the industrial, the mystical with the physical. Judy had never seen their city, but was told of their floating crystals that allowed them to harness magic and bend it to their will. 

“Actually, I received a message from one of our spies. It came a few hours ago, more news to keep me awake this night.” Natia reached into her robe pocket and pulled out a small paper. Her face was now crestfallen with sudden sadness; her brows knitted together and her eyes stared into her teacup with growing tears. “The oldest Prince is dead.” Her words slipped out at a near whisper through a constricted throat. “Murdered by an assassin right in the heart of the palace. It’s no mystery where the origins of the culprit lay. All in a successful plot to steal something of great importance. The message doesn’t say what the item was.” Natia clenched the paper in her paw, her voice shaking a little as she spoke. 

Judys’ eyes went wide as she fixated on the paper that Natia gripped so desperately. It was beyond belief that an assassin would be able to breach Mystopolica. While Furosie had a system in place to detect hostile magic, it was all based on a system designed by Mystopolica. Furosie’s advances were child’s play in comparison.

“That...That’s devastating to hear.” Judy’s paws formed into fists at her side, and she bit the inside of her cheek to hold her anger in check. “They truly are getting bolder. To attack us is one thing, but to go after Mystopolica is another.” 

“Their history with one another predates our country's founding. They have war stories that last far longer and far greater than ours.” The Queen looked to Judy, the shine of tears yet spilt in her eyes. “He was too young to leave this world, only nineteen. I’d only met him once in his younger years, but he was bright and curious. He didn’t deserve to die.” Her voice did crack and tears fell from her eyes, wetting the backs of her paws gripped in her lap.  

Judy stood listening as Natia spoke freely, not knowing what to say when it came to these sensitive matters. She reached forward, resting her paw on top of the Queen’s own. The small touch allowed Natia to release her grip on the paper. Natia looked up, being met by Judy’s small smile allowed her to stifle her tears, nodding at the the welcomed comfort of her friends touch. 

“Thank you.” She softly wiped the tears from the corner of her eyes. “I must ask you to keep this information between us.”

“Of course.” 

“The way we’ve learned of it is dishonest to begin with, and I don’t wish to cause the King and Queen any more sadness. I’m sure it will only be a matter of time before they reach out to us seeking aid.” 

“Just as we have spies, they have theirs. No mammal is without dirt. I’m sure they already know of this night’s occurrences. Mystoplica may be your ally, but they still have their secrets.”   

“That is no doubt true.” There was a resilience within her, knowing what must be done, while saddened by the knowledge that it must be this way. 

“I wish we knew what it was that they stole from them. To be so valuable that the Prince would be put to the assassin’s dagger for its retrieval.” Judy chewed some more on her lip, rattling her brain to connect the incidents together with some hidden clue. 

“Mystopolica’s enchanted items are second to none; and many are made with great measures to their secrecy. Whatever it was, I’m sure it will be used against us with malicious intentions. Their scheming is becoming more and more worrisome. I fear what may come next.” Natia paused here, allowing her head to crane back, looking up at the rounded ceiling with it’s glowing gold crystal. “Nick Wilde seems to have appeared just as things are starting to take place.”

Judy didn’t answer right away, her words seemed to be lost for a moment. She knew, as well as all of the Blessed Knights, that these days of peace were coming to an end. They had to be prepared, but for what still remained to be unseen. 

“Do you think he’ll be ready?” Natia’s voice sounded hopeful.

“If he makes it through the night, then he’ll have a long way to go before he’s ready for anything. For all that power he has not a clue how to use it. Only training will tell how useful he will actually be.” She rolled her eyes a bit, his magic was stupid impressive, but the mammal in control of it hadn’t done much to give her reason for pause. 

“Then I leave him in your care.” 

“What!?” Judy balked at the statement, her eyes fixating on Natia as she blurted the question in return. “What do you mean, Natia? I-”

“Blessed Knight Captain Judith Hopps, from this day forward, Nicholas Wilde will be under your guidance and protection. He shall live in the Blessed Knight’s quarters, take his meals with you, train under your guidance, and he shall henceforth be your responsibility.” She said it all with a mischievous smile, in spite of Judy’s shocked disbelief. 

“Y-your Majesty, you can’t be serious?” Judy’s face lost all composure as she stared wide eyed at her Queen. “I don’t have time to babysit a thief who couldn’t be bothered to wait a whole week before committing another crime. I beg of you, please, reconsider.” Judy was leaning forward in her chair, nearly tilting out of it, her paws held up in defense. 

“My mind is made up. Consider this a lesser punishment for going behind my back and sending spies to keep tabs on him.” At this Judy had to shut her mouth in surprise, unable to refute it. 

“Let me guess, Spy Master Bianca?” 

“Who else?” Natia smirked, raising her eyebrows at her in that cocky, _‘I’ve known the whole time’_ manner. 

“I should have guessed she would be the one to tell.” 

“She likes you, but her loyalty is to me. Be careful next time you disobey my orders to chase after your obsession.” 

“Ob-obsession!?” Judy’s cheeks colored red and Natia left out a gentle laugh. 

 

~~~

  


The healer’s hall was silent, save for the tiny trickles of water that filled it every time Gazelle rung out her rag in the water basin. Nick lay bare on the table before her as she patiently worked to clean his wounds, working out the dirt and dried blood. The whites of his fur were tainted a slight pinkish hue, thanks to the blood that had seeped through. 

Mitsy was still working tirelessly on Nick’s feet. She had managed to remove all the shards of glass and had applied a healing salve on them. Now she was wrapping them in gauze and bandages. Nick’s body was too weak to be healed in a rush, it would take too much of a toll on him. Instead they applied salves to his wounds, stitch up the larger ones on his back and thigh, then time would do its work. The salve allowed him to heal faster than normal, but wouldn't put too much of a strain on his body. His physical wounds weren’t life threatening, all would mend given time and rest. 

The real danger was what was still wounding him, even now, from the inside. While Gazelle and Mitsy treated him, wrapped him, poured smalls sips of water onto his parched tongue; Yennien took on the task of his tattered magic channels. It was an undertaking that required him to remain still, eyes locked open and glowing like starlight. His hooves stayed hovering just over Nick, casting his magic down into him. 

He was soothing the channels slowly, bit by bit, repairing them. His magic had a slight numbing effect, allowing Nick’s fever to break as the heat dissipated. It was a constant fight as well to keep Nick’s magic from building up too much. Yennien was able to siphon it off, absorbing it, making it his own, and then returning it in the from of his own healing. In this manner, a bit of a flow was created as Nick’s own magic was cycled back into him in a more positive way.

A steady stream of sweat ran down near Yennien’s eye, the strain of it was starting to weigh on him. The glow faded from his eyes as he allowed his hooves to fall down to his hips. 

“Ughhh…” He cracked his back, a horrible sound that resembled the breaking bones. “Getting old.” He reached for a cup of water by the table side and gulped it till it was empty. “The heat in there was like stepping into an oven.” He fanned out his tunic, trying to cool himself. Mitsy was just finishing his feet and took this moment to excuse herself for a quick moment. 

“He’s fever’s broken, that’s a good sign.” 

“It’s something.” He set the cup down and pulled up a chair behind him to sit. “This’ll take several hours. Once you’re done you should get some sleep. He ain’t going anywhere anytime soon.” 

“I’d like to stay.” Gazelle replied, continuing her work as she spoke, reaching for the tray, readying herself to start on the stitches. 

“Why’s that?” Yennien inquired, raising a brow at her.

“What?” Gazelle looked up, her hoof hesitating over the tray. 

“Why stay? It’s not like he’s a friend. He’s a thief, and a criminal at that. If the roles were reversed he’d likely see you, me, any of us, dead. Sure, his magic is something else, but I’m not convinced he’s here to do any of us any good.” He’d spent the last few days hearing Arisa cackle on and on about her vision. Heard the nobles gossiping about the sight they had been _‘blessed’_ to witness. All of it made his temper flare. He wasn’t one for believing in prophecies, fate, dystiny or any of the crap. He stayed firmly in the here and now; which conisisted of a half dead fox with stupid amounts of power. 

Gazelle’s surprised expression faded into a genuine smile at his words. Another thing for Yennien to raise a brow at.  

“It’s not something easy to explain, it’s just something I feel in my heart. Even now, his magic feels warm and kind to me. We mammals do not choose the lives we are born into. The life given to us is often all we will ever know. He did what he had to do to survive, but that does not mean his heart is evil. I believe him to be a good mammal, we just have to give him the opportunity to show us.” Her hoof reached towards Nick’s chest, brushing over the purple stone nestled there. “It’s not a coincidence that he has shown himself to us now and in this way.” 

“Ha! You actually believe in what Arisa’s been going on about? Whispering in every-mammal’s ears that he, this fox, is going to help save this country?” 

“This is the very same necklace Saphielle wore around her neck. It graced her skin and now it rests here with him. After all these years it has found its way back to the castle it’s master helpt to build. So yes, I do. I believe that Saphielle sent him to us.” She smiled as she lifted her hoof from the necklace. Yennien let out a loud boisterous laugh and slapped his knee. 

“Well, how about that. A necklaces will is all the proof you need, hu!? This little fox has the hopes of everyone riding on his shoulders all because of a stone and necklace. Hmmm…” He looked at Nick’s body, wet from water and his fur clumping together as his breathing evened out. He looked a mess, half dead, mouth hung open and gums white from blood loss. Not exactly the perfect image of a saviour. “Well, best not to let him die then.” He gave both his legs another slap and he jumped to his feet, quickly getting back to work. 

  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did you guys like it? ;) Can anyone name the movie that I pulled Arthur from? I'm thinking of doing a few small Zootopia shorts, maybe for this story or something new. What would you guys think about that?


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